Navy records breakthrough in oil theft, busts illegal refinery

• Ship pays port call on South Africa

NIGERIAN Navy may have recorded a major breakthrough in oil theft, as troops of Operation Dakatar Da Barawo have recovered over 3,500 litres of stolen crude, among others.

Its spokesman, Commodore Adedotun Ayo- Vaugha n, stated: “Particularly , Nigerian Navy Ship ( N NS) Soroh, at Yenagoa on April 23, 2022, during a patrol of Mbiama, Kiama and Sagbama axis, discovered two empty tankertrucks close to Sagbama waterside which is neither a loading site nor a tank farm. The two trucks were therefore neutralised.

“Similarly, the base intercepted a market boat at OdiomaDiema axis along AkassaBrass route. The boat was laden with over 3,500 litres of suspected crude oil products concealed in drums and gallons, which were subsequently evacuated to a river bank and neutralised accordingly.”

The image maker also revealed: “NNS DEL TA in Warri on April 25, 2022 deactivated an Ilegal refining site around Sara creek in W arri South W est Local Government Area ( LGA).”

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N another development, Navy Ship KADA ( NNS KADA), yeste rday, paid a port call on Cape Town port, South Africa.

This came 13 days after the vessel had paid a similar historic visit to Mombasa port in Kenya.

Arriving the port city , the boat was received by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Mohammed Manta and a delegation from the naval headquarters, led by the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere, who represented the Chief of the Naval Staff.