Petroleum products worth N10.7bn, seized from oil thieves in April- Director of Naval Information

Oredola Adeola

The Nigerian Navy has saved the country from losing N10,701,793,052.5 worth of petroleum products to oil thieves and illegal bunkers in April. Commodore Adedotun Olukayode Ayo-Vaughan, Director of Naval Information and spokesperson of the Nigerian Navy made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

In a breakdown of the data of recovered products, Ayo Vaughan said, “A total of 6,558,000 litres Automotive Gas Oil(AGO) also known as Diesel, at current price of 720/litre amount to N4,721,760,000, while about 103,291.91 barrels of crude oil at $105 per barrels amount to $10,845,650.55 (N5,965,107,802.5k), 319,150 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) also known as Kerosene at N235/litre amount to N7,500,250 and 45,000 litre of (Premium Motor Spirit) also known as petrol at N165/litre equal to N7,425,000 were recovered from the criminals.

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The Naval spokesperson said a total of 650,000 litres of Sludge were recovered, 148 illegal refinery sites were deactivated, and 36 wooden boats were destroyed in April.

He said, ” Between April 23 and April 30, 2022, being the fourth week of the Nigerian Navy-led Operation Dakatar Da Barawo, operation bases recorded remarkable achievements.

“Particularly, Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH at Yenagoa on April 23 during a patrol of Mbiama, Kiama and Sagbama axis discovered two empty tanker trucks 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 Odioma-Diema axis along Akassa- Brass 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. In a related development, NNS DELTA in Warri on April 25, 2022 deactivated an illegal refining site around Sara creek in Warri South West LGA.

“In summary, Week 4 of OPDDB witnessed the recovery of over 2,178,500 litres (13,703 barrels) of stolen crude oil, about 787,500,000 litres of AGO and 20,000 litres of Kerosene all valued above N1.7 billion,” the Director of Information said.

“Pertinently, concerning previous seizures and recoveries during OPDDB for the month of April 2022, the Nigerian Navy denied oil thieves and economic saboteurs an estimated N10, 701,793,052.5k worth of crude oil and related products for the period under review.”

The Naval Chief also noted that the new development is part of the success stories recorded by the Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO, launched by the Nigerian Navy on April 1, 2022.

According to him, the operation was part of the Service’s unrelenting effort to check increasing crude oil theft and related acts of economic sabotage across the country.

He restated the Service’s commitment to ending oil theft and illegal refining, based on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.