Navy intercepts boat with 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Akwa Ibom

The Nigerian Navy has intercepted a boat carrying 100,000 litres of crude oil in the Ikot Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

The Commander of NNS Jubilee, Commodore Martins Fakrogha, disclosed this to journalists at Ibaka in Mbo LGA on Thursday.

He said the boat was arrested at about 5:00 a.m., on Tuesday while approaching one of the oil wells located in the state.

Fakrogha said: “From a credible source, a large boat known as Cotonou boat was sighted at about 23.9 nautical miles seaward of the Imo- -River entrance.

“The boat was abandoned by the crude oil thieves on sighting a Private Maritime Logistics Support Company (PMLSC) boat with Nigerian Navy personnel on board.

READ ALSO: Navy seizes 100,000 litres stolen crude oil in Ondo

“The objectives of Operation Delta Sanity 2 is to checkmate illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, smuggling, piracy amongst other maritime crimes in the Eastern Flank of the country’s maritime environment to increase the country’s crude oil production.”

The commander stressed that the arrest of the boat demonstrated the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to reduce maritime-related crimes in the country to the barest minimum.

He listed the items recovered on board the boat to include 100,000 litres of product suspected to be crude oil, 12 Gee Pee tanks, three Service tanks, four Submersible pumps and three outboard engines.

Fakrogha warned crude oil thieves and other criminals operating in the Eastern flank of the country to desist from economic sabotage, saying the Navy was poised to “deal ruthlessly with economic saboteurs.”

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