The Nigerian Navy said its personnel have impounded and destroyed a boat conveying drums of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil in seaward of the Bonny Island channel in Rivers State.
A top official of the Navy in Bonny, who did not want his name mentioned disclosed this to newsmen on Friday, saying the boat was arrested off the Bonny River.
He stated, “In a coordinated effort, the diesel-laden boat was destroyed by men of the Forward Operating Base, Bonny,” putting the estimated quantity of the destroyed product at 150,000 litres.
The official added that the recent efforts by the security outfit were predicated on the charge of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogala, asking officers and men to stamp out criminal activities in the maritime domain.
He also said the feat was in tandem with the operations declared by the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire, and a reaffirmation of the Nigerian Navy’s stance against crimes, especially, those related to crude oil theft which he said has contributed to the recent rise in crude oil production.
“This is our posture and this is in line with the expectation of the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters during the ongoing confrontation phase of the FOC’s Concept of Operation for the last quarter of the year, drawn from the Strategic Guidance of the CNS,” he added.
