The Nigerian Navy has destroyed an illegal refinery site containing about 45,000 litres of stolen crude oil and apprehended 37 suspected illegal miners in separate operations in the Niger Delta.

The director of naval information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Folorunsho said the operations were carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel, following intensified efforts to curb crude oil theft and other illegal activities in the region.

According to him, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER discovered the illegal refining site during an anti-crude oil theft patrol around the Ojekiri general area in Rivers.

He said the site, located along the Alakiri River, contained about 10 dugout pits cumulatively laden with approximately 45,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

“The illegal refining site and the stored crude oil were subsequently destroyed in accordance with extant operational procedures.

“However, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene on sighting the naval personnel,” he said.

Mr Folorunsho added that in a separate operation, a patrol team from Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH apprehended 37 suspected illegal miners at Anyama Jetty in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

He said the suspects were apprehended while attempting to transfer an unspecified quantity of black sand from a wooden boat into two trucks waiting at the jetty.

According to him, the operation followed credible intelligence and was carried out in compliance with the Bayelsa State government’s directive prohibiting black sand mining.

“The apprehended suspects, along with the trucks, the wooden boat and the recovered mineral resources, were handed over to Operation DOO-AKPO, the Bayelsa State security outfit, for further investigation,” he said.

Mr Folorunsho said the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, for naval formations to intensify operations against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and other forms of economic sabotage.

He reiterated the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to sustaining the momentum of Operation Delta Sentinel through intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime resources and economic interests.

(NAN)