By Tunji Braimoh, Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered about 182,000 litres of substance suspected to be stolen crude oil in Bethel Creeks, Rivers State, in a fresh operation aimed at disrupting illegal crude oil storage and transfer activities in the area.The discovery was made on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by personnel of Forward Operating Base Bonny during a follow up operation based on actionable intelligence on suspicious activities around the creeks.Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operation led to the discovery of eight dugout pits, five of which contained the suspected stolen crude oil, while three were empty.He added that hoses believed to have been used for the movement of crude oil were also discovered and handled in accordance with established procedures.According to him, the latest operation came less than two weeks after personnel of FOB Bonny uncovered about 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at four newly activated illegal refining sites around Aworkiri on September 8.The earlier operation also uncovered 19 dugout pits and other infrastructure allegedly associated with the storage and handling of stolen crude oil.Folorunsho said the successive discoveries demonstrated the Navy’s continued efforts to disrupt not only the theft of crude oil but also the infrastructure used by criminal operators to store and transport illicit petroleum products.He said denying criminal networks access to storage facilities, dugout pits, hoses and other supporting infrastructure was essential to preventing illegal operations from being re established after security agencies had disrupted them.The Navy spokesman said the latest operation had further constrained the availability of crude oil and associated infrastructure for illegal exploitation within the area.The operation forms part of the Nigerian Navy’s broader efforts to strengthen surveillance and enforcement across the nation’s maritime and oil producing areas, particularly locations identified as vulnerable to crude oil theft and illegal refining.The latest recovery brings the quantity of suspected stolen crude oil uncovered by FOB Bonny in the two operations to approximately 269,000 litres, excluding the quantities involved in other operations within the area.The discoveries also highlight the importance of sustained intelligence led operations and inter agency cooperation in protecting Nigeria’s oil resources and reducing the infrastructure available to criminal networks involved in crude oil theft.The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations against crude oil theft and other maritime related crimes while ensuring that waterways and oil producing communities remain secure.