The Nigerian Navy has arrested 20 suspected crude oil thieves at Akassa River, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah, who disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday in Akassa, said the suspects were arrested aboard a vessel marked MT TIS IV on December 6.
Effah said the vessel was carrying 4,402 barrels of illegally sourced crude oil worth about $315,500 (N148, 281, 000) without approval.
The commander added that the Navy traced the sources of the crude oil to be four dug-out pits in the area.
He said: “The discovered storage pits had been reported to relevant oil and gas company for evacuation.
“The arrest is one of the numerous successes recorded by the Nigerian Navy in its ongoing Operation Quite Waters aimed at dominating Nigeria’s maritime environment
