The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a warehouse containing approximately 10,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined diesel in Rivers.

Navy’s spokesman, Abiodun Folorunsho, said in a report on Sunday that the raid exposed a suspected storage and distribution point within the illicit petroleum supply chain. According to Folorunsho, the products were discovered during an anti-crude oil theft operation around the Eleme Express area of Rivers.

“The discovery was made by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER on Saturday during a patrol of the Eleme–Okrika–Onne general area. The product, contained in 400 jerrycans of 25 litres each, was suspected to have been sourced from locations outside the immediate community and stored for onward sale to buyers. No illegal refining site was identified at the location.

“Beyond the volume recovered, the operation was significant because it disrupted a critical link in the illicit petroleum supply chain,” he said.

He said that the operation denied illicit operators a facility to accumulate and move illegally refined products to the market, thereby constraining the commercial network that sustained illegal refining activities.

Mr Folorunsho said that the recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

He also said no arrest was made, as the suspected operators fled upon seeing the naval patrol team.

(NAN)