The Nigerian Navy has scored a major victory in the fight against oil theft, dismantling a crude oil thieves’ camp and apprehending two suspects in Rivers State.
Naval officers from Forward Operating Base Bonny, deployed under Operation Delta Sanity, engaged the suspected criminals in a fierce encounter at Elem-Akrakama and Elem-Tombia.
The ensuing firefight led to the destruction of the thieves’ camp and their vessels, with one of the criminals killed. Two other suspects were captured and are currently being interrogated. The navy recovered two outboard engines, 200 and 140 horsepower, and two Motorola walkie-talkies from the scene.
The operation is part of the Nigerian Navy’s sustained efforts to combat oil theft and illegal bunkering, which has caused significant economic losses to the country. The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, launched Operation Delta Sanity in January 2024 to secure Nigeria’s maritime domain.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
