…Raids militants’ camp, recovers N5.5m in Calabar

The Nigerian Navy has intercepted a wooden boat laden with 375 sacks containing 103,500 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State, exposing a creek-to-market fuel movement route exploited by criminal elements involved in the illegal petroleum trade.

Such networks serve as critical links between illegal refining camps and end users, enabling economic saboteurs to profit from stolen national resources.

In the last couple of days, the Navy has intercepted a total of 120,500 litres of illegally refined AGO – 103,500 litres in Rivers and 17,000 litres concealed in a storage site in Egbokodo Creek axis in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to the Naval spokesman, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, all the seized products have been handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, thereby preventing the products from entering the supply chain.

Folorunsho added that the Service, in its ongoing campaign against militancy and criminality within the Calabar waterways aimed at disrupting militant financing networks at Dayspring Island, raided a hideout at Ini Abasi fishing settlement in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, recovering N5.529 million and some hard drugs.

He said the operation was conducted by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory, deployed at the Forward Security Outpost on Dayspring Island, as intelligence had indicated that the location served as a meeting point and operational base for criminal elements who emerged from adjoining creeks to coordinate attacks, intimidate residents, extort fishermen and maritime transport operators, and perpetrate other criminal activities within the area.

Folorunsho said no arrest was made in the raid as the suspects fled upon sighting the advancing troops, adding, “the operation led to the recovery of several wraps of suspected cannabis sativa and a handwritten ledger containing names and monetary entries amounting to ₦5.529 million”.

“Preliminary assessment suggests that the recovered document was used to record illegal levies imposed on local fishermen and maritime transport operators operating within the area. The proceeds from these extortion activities are believed to have served as a significant source of funding for militant operations and other criminal enterprises within the Dayspring Island axis.

“By targeting illicit revenue streams, the Nigerian Navy continues to degrade the operational capability of criminal elements and deny them the resources required to sustain their activities,” said.