The Nigerian Navy Ship Delta, under the commander NNS Delta, Commodore Shehu Tasiu, has uncovered a concealed crude oil storage site at the Ugbokodo Creek axis of Delta State.

The security assignment, under the OPERATION DELTA SENTINEL, led to the recovery of 17,000 liters of crude oil discovered through actionable intelligence on suspected crude oil theft activities.

The NNS Delta operation was backed by aerial surveillance, which made it possible for naval personnel to search the area as the drone imagery revealed a large freshly dug reservoir, deliberately concealed beneath leaves, planks , wood and thick vegetation to evade detection .

According to the Navy, the site serves as a temporary storage point within the illicit supply network, as the discovery highlights the increasingly sophisticated concealment methods being adopted by criminal elements to sustain crude oil theft operations.

The Nigerian Navy said it remains committed to sustaining pressure on the crude oil theft network under the OPERATION DELTA SENTINEL through intelligence-driven operations, and coordinated actions aimed at protecting Nigeria's critical energy infrastructure and economic interests.