Men of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda, Ondo State, over the weekend, intercepted and destroyed 15,775 litres of stolen crude oil in the Ilaje axis of the state.
The Commanding Officer of the base, Captain Wasuku Alushi, who estimated the value of the products to be N13,251,000, said the operation was carried out by the anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT) patrol team.
According to Commander Humphrey Nnaji, who spoke on behalf of Alushi, the products were destroyed in accordance with the mandate of the joint taskforce Operation Delta Safe on COT.
He emphasised that the team had received intel on illegal bunkering within the axis, after which a wooden boat popularly known as a “Cotonou” laden with crude oil was tracked and intercepted.
“The wooden boat was intercepted about 12 nautical miles (NM) off the coast of the adjoining Ojumole and Obe communities in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. On sighting naval personnel, the crew abandoned the boat and fled,” he said.
While reiterating the commitment of the base to stamp out the menace of COT and other crimes in Igbokoda and its environs, he maintained that the base will intensify surveillance within the axis.