The Nigerian Navy has successfully thwarted an attempted sabotage of a crude oil wellhead in Bonny, Rivers State, reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.
The operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny during a routine patrol near the Oloma Flow Station operated by Renaissance African Energy Company Limited (RAECL). According to reports, naval operatives intercepted a suspicious fibre boat positioned close to a wellhead.
Upon sighting the patrol team, the suspects reportedly abandoned the boat and fled the scene. A thorough search of the vessel led to the discovery of equipment commonly used for wellhead tampering and pipeline vandalism.
Items recovered include a portable generator, cutting and grinding machines, chisels, spanners, cutlasses, and other tools believed to have been assembled for crude oil theft.
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In a statement, the Naval Spokesman, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed that follow-up operations conducted in collaboration with other security agencies led to the arrest of one suspect linked to the attempted sabotage. He added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
Folorunsho noted that the swift intervention prevented potential economic losses and environmental damage that could have resulted from the attack on the oil facility. He also confirmed that the recovered fibre boat has been secured for further investigation.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its resolve to sustain intelligence-driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel, aimed at combating crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and other forms of economic sabotage within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
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