The Nigerian Navy has successfully dismantled a clandestine fuel distribution ring within the waterways of Rivers State. As part of Operation Delta Sentinel, personnel confiscated 22,870 litres of diesel suspected to be refined through illicit means.
Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the Director of Information for the Nigerian Navy, confirmed that the mission was executed by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH. Acting on reliable intelligence regarding the transit of illegal petroleum through creek routes near the Rivers and Bayelsa border, troops were dispatched to the Orashi Forest area in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area.
The patrol team first intercepted a wooden vessel loaded with 36 sacks of fuel. Utilizing drone technology for further surveillance, the military identified hidden caches of petroleum concealed under vegetation and within forest ponds. This subsequent search yielded an additional 45 sacks, resulting in a combined seizure of 81 sacks containing the total volume of 22,870 litres. Both the boat and the recovered cargo have been processed according to official protocols for handling stolen oil.
The Navy reiterated its dedication to intelligence-led strategies to combat economic sabotage and secure the nation’s maritime assets against criminal syndicates.