Navy Uncovers 182,000 Litres of Suspected Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered approximately 182,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Bethel Creeks, Rivers State, in an operation aimed at disrupting illegal crude oil storage and transfer activities in the area.

The discovery was made on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny following actionable intelligence on suspicious activities around the creeks.

According to a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation uncovered eight dugout pits, five of which contained the suspected stolen crude oil, while the remaining three were empty.

The troops also discovered hoses believed to be associated with the movement of crude oil, which were handled in line with established procedures.

The latest operation came barely two weeks after the FOB Bonny uncovered about 87,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at four newly activated illegal refining sites around Aworkiri on September 8.

The earlier operation also exposed 19 dugout pits and other infrastructure allegedly intended for the storage and handling of stolen crude oil.

The Navy said the successive operations were part of efforts to deny criminal operators access to the storage and transfer infrastructure needed to sustain crude oil theft in the region.

The latest discovery, it added, would further constrain the availability of crude oil and infrastructure for illegal exploitation in the area.