Navy intercepts vessel carrying 683 metric tonnes of suspected stolen petroleum products

The Nigerian Navy has intercepted a vessel carrying 682.82 metric tonnes of suspected stolen petroleum products, comprising 650 metric tonnes of crude oil and 32.82 metric tonnes of fuel oil, in another major breakthrough under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, detailing the latest success recorded by the Navy in its sustained campaign against economic sabotage in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

According to the statement, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, July 23, 2026, following credible intelligence generated through the Nigerian Navy’s surveillance systems and sustained monitoring by platforms deployed under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.

What they are saying

According to the Navy, personnel acted on actionable intelligence to intercept the suspect vessel, MT FILIA, at UTUE Terminal in Akwa Ibom State, where it was allegedly siphoning stolen crude oil from an oil well terminal jacket.

• “Preliminary investigations revealed that the vessel was carrying an estimated 32.82 metric tonnes of Fuel Oil and 650 metric tonnes of crude oil without the requisite documentation or lawful authorisation.“

Following the interception, the Navy said the vessel, its crew of 12, and the recovered petroleum products were taken into custody for further investigation and possible prosecution in line with existing laws.

Commenting on the operation, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, commended the professionalism, vigilance and commitment of the personnel involved.

He reiterated that the Nigerian Navy remains committed to tackling crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other maritime crimes that threaten Nigeria’s economy and national security, adding that Operation DELTA SENTINEL continues to deliver results through intelligence-led operations and collaboration with other security agencies.

More insights

The latest interception adds to a series of successes recorded under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, the Navy’s anti-crude oil theft campaign.

Between April and June 2026, the operation led to the recovery of more than 4.7 million litres of petroleum products, the dismantling of over 58 illegal refining sites, the destruction of 239 dugout pits and 13 refining ovens, while more than 91 suspects linked to crude oil theft were arrested.

• The intensified enforcement efforts have coincided with improvements in Nigeria’s crude oil output. According to the Navy, production climbed to 1.89 million barrels per day in July 2026, exceeding the country’s OPEC production quota.

However, Nairametrics reported on July 13 that Nigeria’s crude oil production averaged 1.56 million barrels per day in June 2026, the country’s highest monthly crude oil output since April 2020, reflecting the gradual impact of tighter security around oil infrastructure.

What you should know

The latest operation follows a string of recent anti-oil theft operations by the Nigerian Navy across the Niger Delta.

• On July 22, the Navy uncovered nine illegal refining sites containing 23 dugout pits in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State. Authorities recovered an estimated 104,000 litres of substances believed to be stolen crude oil from 18 of the pits.
• Earlier in July, naval operatives also discovered a concealed illegal fuel storage facility in Rivers State, where they recovered about 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) during another Operation DELTA SENTINEL raid.

Just days before that operation, the Navy dismantled another illegal crude oil storage site in Bonny Local Government Area, recovering approximately 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, underscoring the sustained pressure on operators of illegal oil bunkering networks in the Niger Delta.