By Stella Odueme
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered an estimated 132,000 litres of substance suspected to be stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The discovery was made on October 22, 2026, by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel, following actionable intelligence.
A statement issued on Friday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operation led to the discovery of 10 dugout pits containing the suspected stolen crude oil.
According to the statement, the site and recovered products were handled in accordance with extant regulations.
The Navy said the operation underscored the importance of intelligence-led efforts in identifying concealed petroleum stockpiles and dismantling the infrastructure used to facilitate crude oil theft and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products.
It reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at locating and dismantling illegal refining facilities and disrupting networks involved in crude oil theft across the Niger Delta.
The Navy also called on community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to promptly report crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products to the nearest security agency.It noted that timely and credible information from the public would enable security agencies to respond swiftly and prevent illicit activities from expanding.
The statement emphasised that protecting the nation's critical petroleum assets required vigilance and active cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve.