The Nigerian Navy has intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Navy disclosed this in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Sunday.
“In another major operational success following the charge by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across the nation’s maritime domain, the Nigerian Navy under Operation DELTA SENTINEL has intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River State,” the statement said.
According to the statement, acting on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of products from vessels berthed at the port, operation DELTA SENTINEL personnel from Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) victory swiftly deployed to the area and traced the products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
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It said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) stored in drums and jerrycans, which has been evacuated to the navy base for further necessary action in accordance with extant regulations.
“The Nigerian Navy remains resolute in sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage within Nigeria’s maritime domain,” it said.
Over the years, Nigeria has recorded a surge in pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft incidents in its oil-producing region, a development that worsened the nation’s revenue challenge.
Security agents have frequently discovered illegal refining sites in the country’s oil-producing region.
