Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Nigerian Navy Disrupts Bonny Crude Theft Operation, Recovers 93,000 Litres
The Nigerian Navy carried out an operation in Bonny to stop suspected crude-oil theft.
Sailors found 10 holes in the ground that may have been used to store stolen oil.
Five holes held about 93,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
The other five holes contained water.
The Navy also found hoses that may have helped move the oil.
Officials said the equipment and oil were dealt with under Navy procedures.
The operation was part of a wider effort to stop illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
Government figures show that oil theft has fallen, but the problem has not disappeared.
Nigerian Navy personnel uncovered suspected crude-oil storage facilities near Allison Community in Bonny, Rivers State.
The August 20 operation found 10 dugout pits, including five containing approximately 93,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
The other five pits contained water, while hoses believed to have been used to move crude oil were also discovered.
The recovered products, pits and related materials were handled according to established operational procedures.
Official data show average oil theft declining from 22,900 barrels per day in 2023 to 10,180 barrels per day between January and August 2025, despite continuing illegal bunkering.
- Who
- The Nigerian Navy, through personnel from Forward Operating Base Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel.
- What
- Naval personnel disrupted suspected crude-oil storage and recovered approximately 93,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
- When
- The operation took place on August 20; no year was specified for the operation in the article.
- Where
- Around Allison Community in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria.
- Why
- The operation followed actionable intelligence about suspected illegal crude-oil storage and aimed to disrupt crude-oil theft and illegal bunkering.
- Recovered crude oil
- Approximately 93,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil
- Location
- Allison Community, Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State
- Dugout pits found
- 10 total; five contained suspected crude oil and five contained water
- Associated materials
- Hoses believed to have been used to move or transfer crude oil
- Oil-theft average in 2023
- 22,900 barrels per day
- Oil-theft average in 2024
- 11,200 barrels per day
- Oil-theft average, January-August 2025
- 10,180 barrels per day
- Navy operations, April-June 2026
- More than 580 operations, with 4.7 million litres of stolen petroleum products recovered