The Nigerian Navy, through the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has intercepted three vessels laden with suspected stolen crude oil valued at over N4.2 billion in Calabar.
Commander of the task force, Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladipo, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, Calabar.
He said the operation began on the night of Wednesday, April 8, at about 11:45 p.m., when OPDS troops, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted two vessels—Motor Tankers Mkpodu and Westaf—within the Calabar–Akwa Ibom maritime area.
According to him, the vessels were apprehended at a wellhead within the Joint Operations Area, where they were engaged in suspected crude oil theft.
The two vessels had a combined crew of 26 members onboard at the time of arrest.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mkpodu was intercepted in the process of siphoning crude oil and was found laden with an estimated 480 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude, while Westaf had about 459 metric tonnes onboard.
Following the interception, naval and air assets, including NNS Shere, NNS Ose, and a Nigerian Air Force helicopter, were deployed to support the operation.
The helicopter provided real-time aerial surveillance, while naval platforms secured the vessels offshore and facilitated their transfer, along with the crew, to the naval jetty in Calabar.
Oladipo further revealed that subsequent intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of a third vessel, Motor Tanker Stelios K, by NNS Gongola on April 10 for similar alleged crude oil theft activities.
He said the arrests underscore the commitment of the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Navy to tackling crude oil theft through intelligence-driven and inter-agency operations.
ADVERTISEMENT
The suspects were later paraded at the NNS Victory jetty, where senior naval officers also conducted an inspection of the arrested vessels.
Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie, disclosed that the command is currently tracking three additional vessels linked to illegal activities in the Region.
With more vessels already under surveillance, authorities say the latest arrests signal a sustained and expanding crackdown on crude oil theft across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
