The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempted sabotage of critical oil infrastructure in Bonny, Rivers State, preventing what could have resulted in significant economic losses and environmental damage under its ongoing Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
According to an official signed statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny intercepted a fibre boat operating suspiciously near the Renaissance African Energy Company Limited (RAECL) Oloma Flow Station during routine security patrols.
The statement disclosed that the occupants of the boat fled on sighting the naval patrol team, abandoning the vessel. A subsequent search led to the recovery of equipment commonly used for wellhead tampering and pipeline vandalism, including a portable generator, a cutting and grinding machine, chisels, spanners, cutlasses and other accessories.
The Navy said the recovered items were believed to have been assembled to compromise the wellhead and siphon crude oil illegally.
It added that follow-up operations conducted in collaboration with other security agencies led to the arrest of one suspect linked to the attempted sabotage, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal network. The recovered fibre boat has been secured as investigations continue.
The statement noted that the successful operation prevented criminal elements from attacking critical oil infrastructure, thereby averting potential economic losses and environmental degradation.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to protect Nigeria’s strategic oil and gas assets, combat crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, and deny economic saboteurs freedom of action within the nation’s maritime domain.
