Nigerian Navy says crude oil thieves are sophisticated, vows no hiding place
Nigerian Navy officials say those behind crude oil theft and illegal refining are sophisticated, coordinated syndicates, not petty thieves, because operating at that scale requires ships, investment and maritime know-how. Speaking on Channels Television's The Morning Brief, Director of Naval Information Captain Abiodun Folorunsho noted the syndicates' coordination and warned that there is no hiding place for criminals.
The Navy recently announced a significant operational gain: it uncovered three suspected illegal refining sites, six reservoirs and about 99,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil in its operational areas in Rivers and Delta states. Following the discovery, the Navy vowed to intensify the fight against crude oil theft and other crimes in the country's waterways, stressing that federal government investments in maritime surveillance equipment mean thieves cannot evade detection.
Folorunsho told would-be offenders that their days are numbered and that anyone caught will face the law. With the crime costing Nigeria valuable oil revenue and fueling insecurity, the question remains: Will heightened naval surveillance and prosecutions finally dismantle the sophisticated crude theft syndicates?