Over the weekend, the Men of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) located in Igbokoda, Ondo State, successfully intercepted and eradicated 15,775 litres of stolen crude oil within the Ilaje axis of the state.
Captain Wasuku Alushi, the Commanding Officer of the base, assessed the value of the confiscated products at N13,251,000. This operation was executed by the dedicated anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT) patrol team.
Commander Humphrey Nnaji, speaking on behalf of Captain Alushi, highlighted that the destruction of the seized products adhered to the mandate set forth by the joint taskforce Operation Delta Safe, specifically addressing Crude Oil Theft (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.
