The Nigerian Navy says its newly-inaugurated operation ‘Dakatar Da Barawo’ (OPDDB) has made a series of arrests and seizures of ships and crew members across the nation’s maritime domain involved in illegal activities.

Over 2,178,500 litres (13,703 barrels) of stolen crude oil, about 787,500,000 litres of diesel and 20,000 litres of kerosene, all valued above N1.7 billion, were seized in April, denying oil thieves and economic saboteurs an estimated N10,701,793,052 worth of crude oil and related products, the navy said.

Naval Headquarters spokesman Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan announced this in a statement on Wednesday.

The OPDDB was inaugurated on April 1 to check crude oil theft and other economic sabotage in the nation’s maritime domain.

According to him, the naval ship SOROH at Yenagoa, on April 23, during a patrol of Mbiama, Kiama and Sagbama axes, discovered two empty trucks close to Sagbama waterside, neither a loading site nor a tank farm and were impounded.

Similarly, the navy said it intercepted a market boat at Odioma-Diema axis along Akassa-Brass route, laden with over 3,500 litres of suspected crude oil products concealed in drums and gallons which were subsequently seized.

In a related development, naval ship DELTA in Warri on April 25, deactivated an illegal refining site around Sara creek in Warri South-West.

“A total of 30 refining units/ovens, 35 big metal storage tanks and four large pits cumulatively filled with about 500,000 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO) and 700,000 litres of stolen crude oil were deactivated,” it reported. “Also, on April 25, NN ship SOROH identified and proceeded to a newly re-constructed IRS off Otuofor creek in Sangana, Brass local government area.”

The navy also disclosed that the site had two refining ovens, two empty storage tanks and a large wooden boat containing about 100,000 litres of illegally sourced crude oil. 

“These were all destroyed in situ,” the navy statement said.

It also revealed that the NN ship SOROH searched adjoining creeks around Kotipiri fishing camp before proceeding to another IRS at Ereweibio creek, Sangana Brass LGA.

“A total of 15 large pits, 10 ovens, seven large metal storage tanks, drums and sacks all containing about 500,000 litres of illegally sourced crude oil, 400,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. About 20,000 litres of illegally refined kerosene were also discovered and deactivated accordingly,” said the navy. “Additionally, one 40hp Yamaha engine, one power series 5,000W generator and one pumping machine were seized from the site.“

It mentioned that on April 26, the NN ship DELTA at Sara creek in Warri South-West of Delta discovered 15 illegal refining units/ovens, 18 metal storage tanks, and two large pits all laden with about 150,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 400,000 litres of stolen crude oil. 

“These were all crushed and destroyed,” the statement said. “On the same day, the base intercepted one large wooden boat laden with about 200,000 litres of stolen crude oil hidden in a creek around Ekpemu community in Warri North local government area. Accordingly, the wooden boat and product were destroyed in situ while two pumping machines were seized.”

On April 30, NN ship PATHFINDER in Port Harcourt, according to the statement, intercepted a wooden boat laden with an unspecified quantity of illegally refined AGO at Isaka junction and that the navy also conducted swamp buggy operations in Cawthorne channel and intercepted two wooden boats laden with unspecified quantity of products suspected to be locally refined AGO.

In a similar development, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, on the same day, said the navy intercepted a large Cotonou wooden boat tied to a branch and ladened with about 300,000 litres of diesels.

“On the same day, NN ship DELTA located an IRS around Ogbodede community in Warri South local government area. The site has two ovens, seven metal storage tanks and 10 large pits cumulatively laden with about 275,000 litres of stolen crude oil,” the navy explained. “But the criminals fled before the arrival of the naval patrol team. Nevertheless, the IRS was deactivated. Meanwhile, further exploitation by the base led to the discovery of an inactive IRS off Asisan creek in Warri South local government area.”

(NAN)