Navy seizes 683 tonnes of suspected stolen crude, fuel oil

The Nigerian Navy has intercepted a vessel carrying 682.82 metric tonnes of suspected stolen petroleum products, including 650 metric tonnes of crude oil and 32.82 metric tonnes of fuel oil, in its latest crackdown on crude oil theft under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.

The Navy disclosed the operation in a statement on Friday, stating that the vessel, MT FILIA, was intercepted in the early hours of July 23 at UTUE Terminal in Akwa Ibom State following intelligence gathered through its surveillance systems.

According to the Navy, the vessel was allegedly siphoning crude oil from an oil well terminal jacket when naval personnel moved in to stop the operation.

Preliminary investigations showed the vessel was transporting 650 metric tonnes of crude oil and 32.82 metric tonnes of fuel oil without the required documentation or lawful authorisation.

The vessel, its 12-member crew, and the recovered petroleum products have been taken into custody pending further investigation and possible prosecution.

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Idi Abbas, the chief of the Naval Staff, commended the officers involved, stating that the interception underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations in combating crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He reiterated the Navy’s commitment to protecting the country’s oil infrastructure through sustained surveillance and collaboration with other security agencies.

The latest seizure adds to a series of successes recorded under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, Nigeria’s flagship anti-crude theft campaign.

Between April and June 2026, the operation resulted in the recovery of more than 4.7 million litres of petroleum products, the dismantling of 58 illegal refining sites, the destruction of 239 dugout pits and 13 refining ovens, while 91 suspects linked to crude oil theft were arrested.

The sustained crackdown has coincided with improvements in Nigeria’s oil production.

The Navy said crude production rose to 1.89 million barrels per day in July 2026, surpassing Nigeria’s OPEC production quota.

In addition, official production data showed the country averaged 1.56 million barrels per day in June, its highest monthly output since April 2020, reflecting improved security around oil assets.

The interception follows several recent anti-oil theft operations across the Niger Delta.

On July 22, naval personnel uncovered nine illegal refining sites containing 23 dugout pits in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 104,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

Earlier in the month, the Navy discovered an illegal fuel storage facility in Rivers State, recovering approximately 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined diesel. Days before that, operatives dismantled another illegal crude storage site in Bonny, seizing about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

The operations form part of broader efforts by security agencies to curb crude oil theft, reduce production losses and sustain Nigeria’s recent gains in oil output.