In a bold move to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism, personnel of the Nigerian Navy attached to Forward Operating Base Escravos raided the Oteghele community at Obodo Omadinho, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Friday night.
The operation resulted in the discovery and deactivation of two illegal refining sites, laden with about 5,500 litres of stolen crude oil and 2,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
According to Navy Captain Ikenna Okoloagu, Commanding Officer of FOB Escravos, “the successful operation, which was in support of the ongoing Operation Delta Sanity II, was based on credible intelligence.”
He noted that “the sustained fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other acts of economic sabotage supports efforts to boost Nigeria’s daily crude oil production quantity”.
This operation is not an isolated incident. Only two weeks ago, operatives of the FOB Escravos discovered and deactivated three illegal refining sites at Obodo in the Omadinho community, Warri South West LGA.
The sites were laden with about 3,700 litres of stolen crude oil and 2,600 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Captain Okoloagu has reiterated his call on would-be economic saboteurs in the oil sector to desist from illegal acts, stressing that “the Navy Base would stop at nothing to deny them freedom of action and ensure that they are brought to justice.”
The Nigerian Navy’s commitment to rooting out oil theft and pipeline vandalism is a welcome development in the fight against economic sabotage.
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