In sustenance of its renewed effort against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region under the auspices of Operation Delta Sanity, the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Bonny, Rivers State has arrested three persons and intercepted materials meant for construction of illegal refineries in the area.

This was disclosed via a statement by the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB), Bonny, on Thursday, February 8, 2024 and made available to Kristina Reports in Bonny, Rivers State.

In separate chats with Kristina Reports in Bonny, the arrested suspects identified themselves as Lawrence Anietie, 34 years old, from Effoi Community in Eket LGA of Akwa Ibom State, Order Barikpega, 25 years old from Eeken Community in Khana LGA, and Bethel Lambert, 23 years old from Samanga in Andoni LGA, both of Rivers State.

“In a decisive move against illegal bunkering activities, men of the Forward Operating Base, Bonny, on Wednesday, 7 February, 2024, intercepted a group of suspected criminals transporting metal sheets and rods intended to construct cooking ovens to refine stolen crude oil illegally.”

“The metal sheets and rods confiscated during the operation are critical to constructing makeshift ovens for processing stolen crude oil.”

“The items were intercepted during a patrol by the Base along the Cawthorne Channel in Degema LGA. The interception further led to the arrest of three individuals involved in the illicit trade.”

The statement further revealed that, upon interrogation, the arrested suspects admitted that the items were meant to be employed to construct cooking ovens for an illegal refining site around the Cawthorne Channel.

The Nigerian Navy said that “In line with Standard Operating Procedures, the arrested suspects and exhibits have been handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation and possible prosecution”.

“It is worth mentioning that the patrol team also intercepted three large wooden boats and two small fibre boats laden with an estimated 20,500 litres of illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO).”

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base Bonny, in the statement, explained that the interception of such materials is part of intensified disruption operations commenced by the Nigerian Navy aimed at cutting off the supply chain of illegal refining sites.

It asserted that under Operation Delta Sanity, proactive measures have been emplaced to curtail the activities of illegal refining sites within the Niger Delta region, pointing out that the success of the operations would no doubt reduce the need to destroy illegal refining sites when completed, thus protecting the environment and preventing crude oil theft from pipelines.

“The arrested individuals would be held accountable for their involvement in activities that jeopardize both the safety and the integrity of the Niger Delta environment.

“The source of the materials has been confirmed, and the Nigerian Navy will initiate actions to apprehend other parties involved in the illegal refining supply chain.”

“It could be recalled that other Nigerian Navy bases have also commenced similar disruption operations to arrest construction materials for illegal refineries.”

“These efforts, along with the swamp buggy operations launched to destroy existing illegal refineries, would curtail the activities of illegal refineries and, by extension, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.”