In a major crackdown on crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, personnel from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos, backed by the Nigerian Navy, have dismantled five illegal refining sites across the Niger Delta creeks.
Navy Capt. Ikenna Okoloagu, Commanding Officer of FOB Escravos, revealed on Tuesday that about 13,350 litres of stolen crude oil were recovered from 30 dugout pits and three polythene sacks during coordinated raids over the past weeks.
The operations, conducted under Operation Delta Sanity II, followed credible intelligence and align with the strategic directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to sustain pressure on economic saboteurs.
Details of the operations:
November 5, 2025: Two sites at Obodo Omadino, Warri South-West LGA, were dismantled, recovering 4,000 litres from 12 dugout pits.
November 14, 2025: Another site at Obodo Omadino yielded 3,850 litres from seven dugout pits and three polythene bags.
November 19, 2025: Two more sites were taken down, with 5,200 litres recovered from 11 dugout pits.
Capt. Okoloagu emphasised that these successes reflect a determined effort to curb crude oil theft and safeguard the region’s waterways.