By Samuel Ike, Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered an estimated 132,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, in an operation aimed at disrupting illegal petroleum storage and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

The discovery was made on October 22, 2026, by personnel of the Forward Operating Base, Bonny, during an intelligence led operation conducted under Operation Delta Sentinel. The operation led to the identification of 10 dugout pits containing the suspected stolen crude oil.

The discovery represents a significant intervention in efforts to dismantle facilities allegedly used to store stolen petroleum products and disrupt the supply networks supporting crude oil theft and other illegal activities in the oil producing region.

The Navy said the operation followed actionable intelligence, which enabled its personnel to locate the concealed stockpile in Allison community. The site and recovered products were handled in accordance with existing regulations.

The operation underscores the importance of intelligence gathering and targeted security interventions in identifying concealed petroleum stockpiles and dismantling infrastructure used to facilitate the theft and unauthorised movement of the nation’s crude oil resources.

The Nigerian Navy reiterated its commitment to sustaining operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage across the Niger Delta. It also pledged to intensify efforts to identify and dismantle illegal refining facilities and disrupt the networks involved in the illicit petroleum trade.

The Navy called on community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies by promptly reporting crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage facilities and unauthorised movement of petroleum products. It stressed that timely and credible information from members of the public could help security operatives respond swiftly to emerging threats.

The Navy further emphasised that protecting Nigeria’s critical petroleum assets required sustained vigilance and cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve. It urged residents to remain alert and support lawful efforts to safeguard national resources and combat activities threatening the country’s economic interests.