The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a dugout reservoir containing approximately 10,000 litres of substance suspected to be stolen crude oil in the Oteghele general area of Delta State.
The discovery was made on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA during an anti-crude oil theft operation in its area of operations.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operation followed credible intelligence on suspected illicit petroleum activities in the area.
According to Folorunsho, the reservoir and its contents were subsequently handled in accordance with established procedures, preventing the suspected stolen crude oil from being further used for illicit activities.
He said the operation formed part of the Nigerian Navy’s ongoing efforts to deny criminal operators access to crude oil and dismantle infrastructure used to facilitate its illegal exploitation.
The Navy said it would continue to sustain operations against crude oil theft and other illicit petroleum activities within its areas of responsibility.
The latest discovery comes amid continued security operations against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, where the Navy has been conducting operations aimed at disrupting activities linked to the illegal exploitation of petroleum resources.
The September 2 operation also follows an earlier Navy recovery in the Oteghele axis in August, when about 105,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil were recovered from separate locations in Delta State, according to the Navy.
