Nigerian Navy arrests 20 suspected oil thieves in Bayelsa

The Nigerian Navy has arrested 20 suspected crude oil thieves at Akassa River, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah, who disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday in Akassa, said the suspects were arrested aboard a vessel marked MT TIS IV on December 6.

Effah said the vessel was carrying 4,402 barrels of illegally sourced crude oil worth about $315,500 (N148, 281, 000) without approval.

The commander added that the Navy traced the sources of the crude oil to be four dug-out pits in the area.

He said: “The discovered storage pits had been reported to relevant oil and gas company for evacuation.

“The arrest is one of the numerous successes recorded by the Nigerian Navy in its ongoing Operation Quite Waters aimed at dominating Nigeria’s maritime environment.

“The operation was in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Strategic Directives to Naval Bases to curb all forms of maritime crimes within the nation’s waters.

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“NNS Soroh has been relentless in identifying and arresting perpetrators of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and other maritime crimes.

“It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Navy remains unwavering in its drive to rid Nigeria’s maritime environment of all forms of criminalities.

“This drive can be justified by the recently commissioned vessels by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

“As I speak, some of the newly commissioned naval vessels and other vessels are at sea patrolling the nation’s exclusive economic zone.”

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