Bolatito Mercy
The Nigerian Navy has intercepted three vessels and recovered stolen crude oil valued at over N4.2 billion in Calabar, Cross River State, in one of its latest operations against oil theft in the Niger Delta. The action underscores the Navy’s intensified crackdown on economic sabotage and illegal bunkering across the maritime domain.
According to the Commander, Joint Task Force South South Operation Delta Safe, Rear Adm. Olugbenga Oladipo, two of the vessels — MT Mkpodu and MT Westaf AF — were arrested with over 939 metric tons of suspected stolen crude oil worth more than N4 billion. Twenty-six crew members were also detained during the operation. A third vessel, MT Steliosk, was seized on April 10 as part of the same intelligence-driven sweep.
The arrests were made at midnight on April 8 at a wellhead within the Calabar/Akwa Ibom Joint Operation Area, where the vessels were actively siphoning crude. MT Mkpodu was caught “in the deep process of siphoning” when naval assets moved in. The operation was enabled by cooperation between the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Defence Staff, with the Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff providing air and sea assets.
Nigerian Navy Ship SHERE and Nigerian Navy 410 Helicopter were deployed to the scene. The helicopter supplied real-time aerial imagery of the vessels while NNS SHERE took custody of MT Mkpodu and MT Westaf AF offshore. Nigerian Navy Ship OSE and elements of Forward Operating Base IBAKA then facilitated the transfer of the arrested vessels and crew to the Navy jetty in Calabar for further investigation.
The Calabar interceptions are part of a broader anti-crude oil theft campaign. In a separate but related action, personnel of NNS Victory intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar after receiving intelligence about fuel being siphoned from berthed vessels. Naval operatives traced the products to a trailer park within the port, but the suspects fled on sighting the patrol team.
These operations fall under Operation Delta Sentinel, which replaced Operation Delta Sanity II in January 2026. The new operation features enhanced surveillance, improved intelligence coordination, and quarterly reviews. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the Navy conducted over 183 successful operations, recovering 531,500 litres of illegally refined products, dismantling 12 illegal refinery sites, and arresting 18 suspects.
Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the Navy’s sustained pressure is degrading the economics of oil theft. February 2026 recorded the highest recovery volume at 360,700 litres, and targeted March operations around Warri South-West, Oteghele Creek, Alakiri River, and Ogbia/Egbema/Ndoni recovered substantial quantities of crude and illegally refined AGO. On March 21, 44,000 litres of AGO were intercepted at Ogbologo with eight suspects arrested.
Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas has directed intelligence-led operations and stronger inter-agency cooperation to further disrupt oil theft networks. The Navy says it remains committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain, protecting vital national assets, and boosting oil production in line with national economic goals. The arrested crew members and seized vessels are expected to be handed over to prosecuting agencies after investigation.
