The Akwa Ibom State Marine Police have intercepted a large wooden boat laden with suspected stolen crude oil and arrested two suspects in a dawn operation along the Okposo waterway, Mbo Local Government Area.
The August 2, 2025, operation, carried out around 5:30 a.m., followed credible intelligence that led officers to deploy two gunboats to the location. The vessel, believed to be heading toward the Nigeria–Cameroon maritime border, was reportedly carrying crude oil suspected to have been stolen from an oil pipeline’s weir head.
The quick response of the Marine Police thwarted what authorities described as a case of economic sabotage. The suspects, along with the boat and its illicit cargo, are now in custody as investigations continue.
Police say the arrests highlight ongoing efforts to curb cross-border oil theft in the Gulf of Guinea region.
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