Nigerian Navy Apprehends Impostors in Cross River and Destroys Seventeen Thousand Liters of Stolen Crude in Rivers State Operations

Nigerian Navy arrests two impostors in Cross River posing as officers and destroys 17,500 liters of stolen crude oil in Rivers State under Operation Delta Sentinel.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 8:49 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent Newspaper Nigeria

Naval Impersonation Syndicate Smashed in Cross River

The Nigerian Navy has successfully intercepted two individuals posing as high-ranking military personnel in Cross River State. The suspects, Gideon Isaac and David Aleji, were apprehended by troops of NNS VICTORY on March 10, 2026. At the time of their arrest, both men were dressed in military camouflage and were in possession of forged military identification cards.

Preliminary investigations revealed a sophisticated level of deception: Aleji was impersonating a Lieutenant, while Isaac posed as a Midshipman purportedly assigned to the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SAGBAMA. Further searches of their residence yielded additional military gear, including boots and jungle hats. Aleji, identified as the mastermind, is a former trainee of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron. The suspects admitted to procuring the gear and producing the fraudulent IDs themselves. They have since been transferred to the Cross River Police Command for formal prosecution.

Operation DELTA SENTINEL: Anti-Bunkering Success

In a separate tactical success, the Navy intensified its campaign against economic sabotage under the banner of Operation DELTA SENTINEL. Utilizing advanced maritime surveillance technology, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY uncovered a series of concealed dugout pits in the Opotumbi area of Rivers State. These pits were strategically hidden beneath dense creek vegetation to evade traditional aerial detection.

Destruction of Illegal Crude Reservoirs