Navy foils N660m crude oil theft, arrests 12 suspects in A’Ibom

The Nigerian Navy has apprehended an oil tanker, MT FILIA, suspected of illegally loading crude oil valued at more than N660 million. Twelve crew members were arrested in connection with the theft during a naval operation in Akwa Ibom State.

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At about 4:00am on July 23, a Nigerian Navy patrol boat intercepted the tanker after it departed the terminal and headed seaward.

The vessel, sailing under the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe, was intercepted on July 23, 2026, by the Eastern Naval Command as part of Operation Delta Sentinel. Commodore AA Umar, the command's operations officer, stated that the tanker had been loitering near an offshore oil terminal for over seven days, allegedly awaiting an opportunity to siphon crude oil.

"At about 4:00am on July 23, a Nigerian Navy patrol boat intercepted the tanker after it departed the terminal and headed seaward," Umar explained. He added that the crew began discharging the stolen oil into the sea upon sighting the naval vessel, causing pollution. Preliminary investigations and the captain's confession suggest the tanker loaded approximately 650 metric tonnes of crude oil.

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On sighting the Nigerian Navy ship, the crew began discharging the stolen crude oil into the sea, thereby causing maritime pollution.

Umar emphasized the Navy's commitment to protecting Nigeria's maritime resources and oil infrastructure. Operation Delta Sentinel, launched in January 2026, aims to enhance maritime security through surveillance and inter-agency collaboration, targeting crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and other maritime crimes.

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Investigations from our end and the confession by the captain of the team show that the vessel loaded about 650 metric tonnes of crude oil estimated to be worth more than N660 million.