Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Navy, under Operation Delta Sanity, has uncovered and destroyed multiple illegal crude oil storage pits in Obodo Omadino Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, dealt another major blow to the organised network of illegal crude oil refining syndicates operating in the Niger Delta.
According to the Navy, the dug-out pits, hidden deep in the creeks, were filled with a significant but unspecified quantity of stolen crude oil.
This latest action follows earlier raids in the same community between June 1 and 5, during which Naval forces dismantled 28 illegal crude oil pits and seized numerous sacks of stolen oil.
The Navy emphasized that Tuesday’s raid reinforces its warning to oil thieves that there will be no hiding place.
“This discovery is part of our sustained effort to dismantle the infrastructure of crude oil theft in the region. These operations will continue relentlessly,” an official statement noted.
The Navy reiterated its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s economic assets and called on local communities to support the ongoing campaign by providing credible intelligence.
“We urge citizens to stand with us in this fight. Crude oil theft is a national economic crime, and we will continue to act decisively against it,” the Navy added.
