Military Seizes Three Vessels Carrying 4.2 Billion Naira Worth of Stolen Crude Oil in Calabar

The Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe, has intercepted three vessels carrying suspected stolen crude oil worth an estimated 4.2 billion naira in Calabar. The operation began on the night of April 8, when OPDS troops acting on intelligence intercepted two vessels, MT Mkpodu and MT Westaf, within the Calabar and Akwa Ibom maritime area.

MT Mkpodu was caught in the act of siphoning crude oil, with about 480 metric tonnes of suspected stolen product on board. MT Westaf carried another 459 metric tonnes. The two vessels had a combined crew of 26. A third vessel, MT Stellos K, was seized on April 10 by NNS Gongola for similar alleged crude oil theft.

How the operation unfolded

Commander Olugbenga Oladipo briefed journalists at NNS Victory in Calabar on Saturday, explaining that naval and air assets including NNS Shere, NNS Ose, and a Nigerian Air Force helicopter were deployed for the operation. The helicopter provided real-time aerial surveillance while naval platforms secured the vessels offshore.

The Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, Chidozie Okehie, disclosed that three additional suspected vessels are currently being tracked for illegal activities in the region. This is not a small thing. The Nigerian Navy also reported recovering 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products across 183 operations in the first quarter of 2026 under Operation Delta Sentinel, which launched on January 13. February alone accounted for 360,700 litres of recovered products. At least 12 illegal refinery sites, four storage facilities, three vessels, and two wellhead connections were destroyed during this period.

Why it matters

Nigeria has bled crude oil for years. Pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering, and oil theft have eaten into production targets and government revenue. The Trans Forcados Pipeline, one of the country’s major crude evacuation routes, has been down for integrity issues, contributing to a drop in production to 1.51 million barrels per day. Every stolen barrel is revenue the country cannot afford to lose, especially when the NNPC is reporting a 64 percent plunge in profit despite record-high remittances to the federal government.

The suspects from the latest interceptions have been paraded at the NNS Victory jetty in Calabar. Authorities say they are processing the vessels and crew to determine the full origin of the cargo. Whether these interceptions signal a genuine shift in enforcement or remain one-off successes is the real question. Nigeria’s history with oil theft suggests the problem runs deeper than any single operation can address.

Sources: Daily Trust, NaijaNews, Vanguard, Punch