Oil theft: We’ve seized N3bn worth of petrol products in three weeks, says Navy

Nigerian Navy says it has seized about 6 million litres of petroleum products worth over N3 billion from oil thieves since it launched Operation Dakatar Da Barawo (OPDDB), also known as ‘Stop the Thief’.

In the first week of April, the navy said arrested and seized about N200 million worth of petroleum products from oil thieves. 

The navy said this was a headway to end oil theft and illegal refining.

Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, spokesperson of the Nigerian navy, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. 

The statement noted that the navy clamped down on illegal refining sites around Sara creek, Asugbo creek, and Ereweibio creek, among others, in a week. 

“In furtherance of Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO, launched by the Nigerian Navy on April 1, 2022, the Service’s unrelenting effort to check increasing crude oil theft and related acts of economic sabotage has recorded more arrests and seizures between April 15-23, 2022, being the third week of the operation. On April 15, 2022, Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA at Warri, deactivated an Illegal Refining Site around Sara creek,” the statement reads.

“The IRS had 16 ovens, 16 metal storage tanks and three wide pits filled with about 500,000 litres of illegally refined AGO, as well as 700,000 litres of stolen crude oil, a generator and four pumping machines. Also, an IRS at Asugbo creek in Warri was discovered with six ovens, 12 metal storage tanks and five large pits all containing about 600,000 litres of stolen crude oil, including 200,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and about 150,000 litres of sludge.

“Similarly, sequel to series of air reconnaissance, Forward Operating Base FORMOSO in Bayelsa State on April 19, 2022, raided an IRS at Ereweibio creek in Brass LGA. Accordingly, seven large cooking ovens, 10 large metal storage tanks and drums all laden with about 400,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 20,000 litres of suspected illegally refined PMS were discovered. The site also had five large pits holding approximately 700,000 litres of stolen crude oil. Equally, two pumping machines, one gasoline generator, one submersible pump and one chainsaw machine were discovered at the site and destroyed in situ.”

The statement added that an IRS at Lelemu creek in Warri south-west was discovered on April 21, 2022.

“During the operation, 19 ovens, 26 metal storage tanks and two dugout pit laden with about 250,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 50,000 litres of illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO) were destroyed,” it said.

“To ensure effective deactivation of IRS, NNS DELTA on 21 April 2022 conducted swamp buggy operations during which an earlier identified IRS around Egwa creek in Warri was destroyed.

“During the operation, 16 ovens, 31 metal storage tanks and seven large pits all filled with about 850,000 litres of stolen crude oil were equally deactivated.

“Relatedly, on April 22 2022, around Lelemu creek in Warri south-west local government area (LGA) of Delta state, personnel under NNS DELTA again discovered 22 IRS ovens, 12 metallic storage tanks and five large pits all containing about 150,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

“At another IRS off Lelemu creek, 19 ovens, 42 storage tanks and 14 large pits containing about 300,000 litres of stolen crude oil, as well as approximately 200,000 litres of illegally refined AGO, 100,000 litres of illegally refined DPK and 100,000 litres of suspected crude oil sludge were all destroyed,” it said.

It also noted that combing the area off Jones creek led to the discovery of another IRS with five ovens, two metal storage tanks and eight large pits with about 150,000 litres of sludge. 

It said both IRS off Jones creek with the discovered items and products were destroyed in situ.

“Succinctly, Week three of the OPDDB saw the seizure of over 6,000,000 litres of products valued over N3 billion from oil thieves and economic saboteurs. The migration by operators of IRS from the South-South geopolitical zone to the South-East also comes to the fore,” it said.

“This development will in no way deter the Nigerian Navy from ensuring zero tolerance for COT, IRS, illegal bunkering and related economic crimes in the nation’s maritime environment and adjoining territory.” 

Amid efforts to curtail oil theft, over the weekend, at least 100 people had been reportedly killed after a blast at an illegal oil refining site in Ohaji/Egbema area of Imo state.

Reacting to the incident, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered that the sponsors of the illegal refinery should be brought to book.