By Adedapo Adesanya

A concealed illegal crude oil storage facility in Delta State, with approximately 17,000 litres, has been uncovered by the Nigerian Navy.

The discovery, made under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, highlights the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by crude oil thieves in the Niger Delta, even as security agencies strengthen intelligence-driven operations to protect critical oil infrastructure.

According to the Navy, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA uncovered the illegal site following actionable intelligence on suspected crude oil theft activities around the Ugbokodo Creek axis of Delta State.

In a statement issued this week by the Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation combined ground surveillance with aerial reconnaissance to expose a carefully disguised reservoir used to store stolen crude oil.

Although initial inspections showed no visible signs of illegal activity, drone imagery later revealed a large, freshly excavated reservoir hidden beneath thick vegetation, wooden planks and leaves to evade detection.

The Navy said the site showed clear evidence of recent illegal operations and appeared to function as a temporary holding point within a wider illicit crude supply chain.

The discovery underscores the evolving methods adopted by criminal syndicates as authorities intensify the crackdown on oil theft across the Niger Delta.

The Navy noted that integrating intelligence gathering with advanced aerial surveillance capabilities has significantly improved its ability to detect and disrupt illegal activities that would otherwise remain hidden.

The maritime force said the reservoir, recovered products and related materials were secured and processed in line with existing operational procedures, effectively denying economic saboteurs access to resources intended to sustain further criminal activities.

The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Navy to curb crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining activities that have continued to erode government revenues and undermine investor confidence in the oil and gas sector.

Oil theft remains one of Nigeria’s biggest challenges, costing the country billions of dollars annually through lost production, environmental degradation and damage to critical infrastructure.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal networks through persistent surveillance, intelligence-led operations and coordinated interventions aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s energy assets and protecting the nation’s economic interests.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, was on Wednesday found not guilty ​by a London jury of six bribery charges, after ‌five months of trial.

Mrs Alison-Madueke, an oil minister between 2010 and 2015 under then-president Goodluck Jonathan, stood trial ​charged with five counts of accepting bribes and a ​charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, which she denied.

Prosecutors ⁠alleged that the 65-year-old Mrs Alison-Madueke was given “a life of luxury” in London ​from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, ​which has long grappled with mismanagement and corruption.

The jury deliberated for more than 46 hours before reaching its verdict.

Mrs Alison-Madueke was charged by the UK’s National Crime Agency in 2023 over allegations she took £100,000 in cash as well as accepting flights on private jets, chauffeur-driven cars and luxury goods from Louis Vuitton and Harrods.

Other counts allege she received school fees for her son, products from high-end shops such as London’s Harrods department store and Louis Vuitton, and further private jet flights.

Mrs Alison-Madueke has been involved in numerous legal cases globally, including in the United States.

She has been on bail in Britain since she was arrested in October 2015.

In 2023, she was formally charged with accepting bribes, which she has denied.

Mrs Alison-Madueke stood trial alongside oil industry executive, Mrs Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who was ​charged with one count of bribery relating to ​Alison-Madueke ⁠and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.

Also, her elder brother, Mr Doye Agama, 69, was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery ⁠with ​his sister relating to payments made to ​his church.

Both Mrs Ayinde and Mr Agama denied the charges against them and were also ​acquitted by the jury.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has cleared the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of allegations that it failed to remit N62.2 billion into the Federation Account, as contained in the 2019 Audit Report of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

The committee reached the decision on Tuesday during an investigative session with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, over 77 audit queries raised against the agency in the 2019 and 2020 audit reports.

The committee, however, resolved to establish an ad hoc reconciliation panel to review the remaining 76 audit queries and report for further consideration.

At the hearing, representatives of the Auditor-General’s office informed lawmakers that while the Customs Service generated more than N691 billion in revenue in 2017, only about N629 billion was remitted to the Federation Account, leaving an outstanding balance of N62.2 billion.

Responding, the Customs CG explained that the amount in question consisted of levies collected on behalf of other government agencies and was therefore not meant for remittance into the Federation Account.

According to him, the figure was wrongly classified as under-remittance in the audit report.

Mr Adeniyi stated that while some levies collected by Customs are paid into the Federation Account, others, including certain levies on local production of wheat, textiles and wines, are designated for separate accounts.

He maintained that the disputed N62.2 billion fell into that category and should not have been recorded as unremitted revenue.

The Customs boss also provided explanations on the second and third audit queries, which members of the committee described as satisfactory.

Some lawmakers questioned why the issues had progressed to a Senate investigation, arguing that they should have been resolved during routine reconciliation between Customs officials and auditors.

In his response, Mr Adeniyi noted that the audit years under review coincided with a period of strained relations between the National Assembly and the Customs Service.

The reconciliation committee is expected to work with Customs officials and auditors to resolve discrepancies in the remaining audit queries before further legislative action is taken.