The Nigerian Navy has uncovered approximately 40,000 litres of a substance suspected to be crude oil stored in a large dugout reservoir in the Oteghele general area of Delta State. The discovery was made during ongoing anti-crude oil theft operations in the region.

Personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta found the large underground storage facility while acting on intelligence about suspected illegal petroleum activities in the area. The reservoir had been used to hold the product away from normal monitoring channels.

The Navy said the recovered substance was handled in accordance with established operational procedures to prevent it from being used for further illicit activities. Such dugout reservoirs are commonly employed by oil thieves to temporarily store stolen crude before it is moved or refined illegally.

The operation forms part of sustained efforts by the Navy to deny criminal operators access to crude oil and dismantle the infrastructure used to facilitate its illegal exploitation. It aligns with directives from the Chief of the Naval Staff to protect critical national infrastructure within Nigeria’s territorial waters and coastal areas.

Crude oil theft continues to pose a serious challenge to Nigeria’s petroleum industry and government revenues. The Navy has reiterated its commitment to intensifying patrols and intelligence-driven operations in the Niger Delta to curb the menace and safeguard the country’s energy resources.