The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a concealed illegal fuel storage depot containing about 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State, in a major operational success under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the discovery was made by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER during sustained operations against crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering within its area of responsibility.
The statement said the Base Anti-Crude Oil Theft Team, acting on the discovery, confirmed that the hidden storage site contained 125 sacks filled with products suspected to be illegally refined AGO.
The Nigerian Navy said the operation exposed another covert storage facility allegedly used by criminal elements to stockpile illegally refined petroleum products for onward distribution, underscoring the persistent activities of illicit fuel syndicates operating within the Niger Delta.
It added that the recovered products were handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, effectively denying economic saboteurs a critical logistics hub used to sustain illegal petroleum operations.
The Navy noted that the successful operation demonstrates its sustained resolve to identify and dismantle the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and illegal refining. It explained that by targeting concealed storage facilities and disrupting illicit supply chains, the Service continues to degrade the operational capabilities of criminal networks while protecting Nigeria’s critical economic assets.
The statement reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to combat crude oil theft, disrupt illegal petroleum distribution networks and safeguard the nation’s maritime environment.
