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No fewer than six suspected oil thieves have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy in Bayelsa State.
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The suspects were caught with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fiber boats, and two wooden boats along the Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni axis of the state.
In a statement on Wednesday, Navy spokesperson Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu confirmed that several illegal refining sites were destroyed during operations conducted between August 29 and September 2, 2024, by navy units deployed to the Niger Delta region.
The operations, under the auspices of Operation DELTA SANITY, aimed at curbing crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.
He noted that on August 29, the navy seized seven large Cotonou boats and two fiber boats operated by heavily armed oil thieves, who were loading crude oil from an illegal point around the Botokiri axis of Nembe Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State.
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Also on August 31, six suspects with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fiber boats, and two wooden boats were arrested along the Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni axis.
According to him, additional seizures occurred on September 1 and September 2 at various locations in Bayelsa State, including wooden boats and sacks of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil.
Adams-Aliu stated that these operations demonstrate the navy’s commitment to combating oil theft and improving crude oil production in Nigeria.
The successes of Operation DELTA SANITY highlight the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to eliminate crude oil theft and illegal refining from Nigeria’s maritime environment.
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