Posted by Approximately 16,000 liters of stolen crude oil and illegally processed automobile gas oil, estimated to be worth over N13 million, have been caught and burned by a Joint Task Force made up of members of the Nigeria Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Igbokoda, Ondo State, and the Anti Crude Oil Theft (COT).
Captain Wasuku Alushi, the commanding officer of the Task Force, disclosed that the operation was started on the basis of reliable intelligence in an attempt to bolster efforts against the widespread illicit bunkering activities that were afflicting the area.
A wooden boat, known as a cotonou boat, carrying stolen crude oil was intercepted by the combined team approximately 12 nautical miles off the coast of Ojumole and Obe village in Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State.
Speaking through Commander Humphrey Nnaji, the Base’s Executive Officer, Alushi said that the accused oil thieves abandoned the boat and left the area as soon as they saw the navy forces.
The FOB Igbokoda Commanding Officer reaffirmed the base’s commitment to eliminating the threat posed by crude oil theft and other criminal activity within the base and its surroundings.
He pledged to step up intelligence collection, monitoring, and the forceful deployment of people at key locations—particularly choke points inside the Base’s operational area—by boat, car, and foot.
Alushi reported that illicit products, including those found in Awoye, Ugbo-Nla, Obe-Akinboye, old market road Igbokoda, and Mahin, had been arrested and destroyed as a result of operations carried out in accordance with the directives of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS).
Based on the current pump pricing, the total estimated worth of the destroyed illegal petroleum products is roughly N13,251,000.
Alushi gave the public the assurance that FOB Igbokoda would continue to operate in compliance with Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, the Chief of the Naval Staff, and his strategic directives.