In an unprecedented move, Nigerian authorities destroyed an oil tanker with the help of a Mi-35P attack helicopter, wishing to make an example of all those who plan to steal smuggled crude oil.

Nigerian Air Force Mi-35p attack helicopter destroyed a vessel seized yesterday carrying 800,000 litres of stolen crude oil on its way to Cameroon.

📹 Channels Television#helicopter #airforce pic.twitter.com/uWQG1qkbKe

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 12, 2023

Specifically, Nigeria’s state oil company NNPC Ltd said on Monday that a tanker carrying stolen crude oil was located and detained by authorities while en route to Cameroon.

The tanker was destroyed as part of the measures taken to prevent the theft and smuggling of crude oil.

Theft of crude oil from pipelines and oil rigs in the Niger Delta has limited the country’s production in recent years and is one of the biggest challenges facing the new President, Bola Tinubu.

According to the NNPC, the particular cargo of oil was stolen from a mining platform in southwestern Ondo state. The tanker MT Tura II is owned by locally registered Holab Maritime Services Limited and did not have valid oil documents.

Destruction of ships involved in the transportation of stolen crude oil is a strong deterrent of utmost importance, the NNPC said.

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