Valentine Okafor
The Nigerian Navy Units under the auspices of Operation DELTA SANITY said it has sustained intervention and assistance towards fight against crude oil theft in the country.
Providing update in its operations the Navy said that in the month of October 2024, it destroyed several Illegal Refining Sites and recovered significant quantities of stolen crude oil from criminals in the Niger-Delta.
Giving details it said specifically on 8 October 2024, three Illegal Refinery Sites, 15 ovens, 12 reservoirs, 5 dugout pits and 2 wooden boats laden with about 12,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil was discovered and destroyed around Bakana River, Bukuma axis and Ogaji-Ama of Rivers State.
Equally on 9 October 2024, one suspect with one locally made pistol was arrested with 3 cases of ammunition while 3 Illegal Refinnery Sites as well as 5
reservoirs, 2 ovens, one dugout pit, 2 wooden boats cumulatively laden with
about 900 liters of product suspected to be stolen crude oil was discovered around Otuwo and Ogboinbiri general area of Bayelsa State.
Also, on 11 October 2024, five Illegal Refinery Sites with 4 ovens, 3 reservoirs and few sacks cumulatively laden with about 4,000 liters of product suspected to be stolen crude oil was discovered around Ugbokodo and Christian village in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
In addition on same 11 October 2024, a market boat laden with about 2,200 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in jerry cans and sacks were discovered at Idi-Ogba, Ondo State, while on 12 October 2024, one Illegal Refinery Site with 2 ovens and one dugout pit laden with suspected stolen crude oil was discovered and destroyed around Isonogbene, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Navy said on 12 October 2024, one fibre boat laden with illegally refined AGO concealed in 30 sacks was discovered and destroyed around Ezeh-Gbene, Tamagbene, and Igbomotoru axis in Southern Ijaw of Bayelsa State.
On the 14 October 2024, three Illegal Refinery Sites, 2 reservoirs
and 3 wooden boats laden with about 8,000 litres of illegally refined AGO were discovered and destroyed around Cawthorne channel, Bille, Bukuma, Tombia, Old Bakana and Krakrama axis of Rivers State, while a wooden boat laden with about 30,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil was discovered around Shell and adjoining creeks in Rivers State.
Equally on 16 October 2024, three Illegal Refinery Sites, one reservoir, one
oven, 65 sacks, 4 jerrycans and 4 wooden boats laden with unspecified quantity of product suspected to be stolen crude oil was seized around Kongho and Otuwo Igbomotoru general area of Bayelsa State.
It said on 21 October 2024, five large wooden boats laden with about 48,300 litres, of product suspected to be illegal refined AGO stored in a house and a barge conveying a Crane and other equipment used for stealing oil product were discovered around Akpila, Bakana and Buguma axis river in Rivers State, while on 22 October 2024, a large wooden boat laden with about 70,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil were discovered and destroyed around Asamatoro community along Opobo riser general area of Rivers state.
The Navy reported that 23 October 2024, one Illegal Refinery Site, one oven, 9 dugout pits, one fibre boat laden with about 50,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil and 25,000 litres of illegally refined AGO were seized around Odioma axis of Brass Local Government Area in Delta state, while same day two Illegal Refinery Sites, 2 ovens, 2 reservoirs
and 13 dugout pits cumulatively laden with product suspected to be stolen crude oil and about 7,300 liters of illegal refined AGO was discovered and destroyed around Obodo Omadino community at Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
On 24 October 2024, one Illegal Refinery Site, 3 ovens, 2 pumping machines, with about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil and 600 litres of illegally refined AGO in jerry cans were discovered and destroyed around Obenla Riverine Community of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. Accordingly, the sites and products were handled appropriately whereas on 26 October 2024, one Illegal Refinery Site, one reservoir, 15 sacks laden with about 1,500 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil
and 900 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil was discovered around Otuwo general area of Bayelsa State. Accordingly, the Illegally Refinery Site and products were handled appropriately.
Cumulatively, 23 Illegal Refinery Sites, 30 ovens, 26 reservoirs, 77
sacks, 19 dug out pits, 21 wooden boats, 4 jerry cans, 2 pumping machines, large quantities of crude oil and AGO were successfully recovered during various operations carried out by the Nigerian Navy within the month of October.
These results have contributed to the increase in Nigeria’s Crude oil production. Recall that NNPCL Group CEO announced recently that Nigeria’s Crude oil production has rose to 1,8mbd in the month of October 2024, it said,
