Nigerian Navy Arrests Crude Oil Thieves

The Nigerian Navy has sustained its dominance in the waterways with extensive patrols and increased surveillance activities with the arrest of 11 crude oil thieves and destruction of several illegal refineries in the last one week. The Director of Naval Information (DINFO), Commodore Christian Ezekobe in a statement yesterday, said that the achievement which was in line with the directives of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, was recorded between March 21-28, 2016.

“The anti-crude oil theft (Anti-COT) drive of the Nigerian Navy received a boost with successes recorded in raids conducted against illegal crude oil thieves, illegal refineries, smugglers and other criminalities along the waterways and creeks,” Ezokobe said. Consequently, he noted, operatives of the Nigerian Navy arrested 11 persons at various locations while equipment used for illegal oil refinery and pipeline vandalism were destroyed. He said that “some of the arrested culprits have been handed over to relevant agencies for further investigation and prosecution”. The Naval Spokesman also restated the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to ensure that maritime criminals and operators of illegal refineries are decisively dealt with as a deterrent to others wishing to sabotage critical national economic assets.