In Orashi Forest, Nigerian Navy Recovers Large Cache of Illegal Refined Petroleum Products

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian Navy, under the ongoing Operation Delta Sentinel, has recovered a significant quantity of illegally refined petroleum products concealed deep within forested areas of Rivers State, intensifying its crackdown on crude oil theft and related economic sabotage across the Niger Delta.

The latest operation comes barely a week after personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lekki intercepted about 1,800 litres of suspected stolen Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during an intelligence-led raid targeting illegal petroleum activities in the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State.

In a separate but related development, personnel of FOB Badagry also seized 130 bags of foreign parboiled rice during an anti-smuggling operation along the Badagry waterways.

Confirming the latest development, the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said operatives of Operation Delta Sentinel sustained their offensive against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities with the recovery of approximately 1,600 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO in Rivers State.

According to him, the operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh following credible intelligence on the movement and concealment of illegally refined petroleum products around Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, near the boundary with Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the Anti-Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team deployed to the Orashi Forest area where aerial surveillance using an unmanned system led to the identification of several sacks suspected to contain illegally refined AGO concealed beneath grasses within the forest.

“Subsequent exploitation of the area resulted in the recovery of 16 sacks containing approximately 100 litres each, amounting to an estimated total of 1,600 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO.”

Folorunsho explained that the suspects fled the scene upon sighting naval personnel, adding that no arrests were made during the operation.

He noted that the recovered products were evacuated and processed in line with established operational procedures.

He said the operation further demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s resolve under Operation Delta Sentinel to dismantle illegal refining networks and deny economic saboteurs freedom of operation within the nation’s maritime and littoral domains.

Captain Folorunsho also reaffirmed the Navy’s determination to sustain pressure on criminal elements involved in crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage.

“There will be no safe haven for criminal elements engaged in crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage, as ongoing operations are designed to give such elements no breathing space across the nation’s waterways and adjoining creeks,” he stated.