Oil Theft: Navy Destroys Illegal Refineries, Seizes ₦600m in Products
The Nigerian Navy has dismantled several illegal refining sites and seized petroleum products valued at over ₦600 million during coordinated operations across Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states.
The Navy disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the operations were carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel on April 17, targeting a network of illicit refining camps and crude oil storage facilities in the Niger Delta.
According to the statement, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Soroh, acting on credible intelligence, deployed an anti-crude oil theft team to the Egboama/Ogbogolo axis of Ahoada West Local Government Area in Rivers State.
It said the team conducted a combined land and water operation despite difficult terrain, leading to the discovery of multiple illegal refining sites, including dugout pits, ovens, reservoirs and storage facilities.
The Navy said about 103,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 190,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered during the operation.
Read Also:
It added that the crude oil was valued at over ₦91 million, while the refined product was estimated at about ₦342 million, bringing the total value of the seizure in the area to over ₦433 million.
In a related operation in Delta State, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, uncovered and deactivated a concealed crude oil storage facility around Bennett Island.
The statement said the facility, linked to a buried pipeline through an improvised hose system, contained approximately 78,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, valued at about ₦69 million.
“All illegal refining infrastructure and storage facilities were dismantled in situ, while recovered products were handled in accordance with extant operational procedures. The perpetrators fled on sighting naval personnel,” the statement added.
The Navy said the operations underscore its intensified crackdown on crude oil theft and reaffirm the momentum of Operation Delta Sentinel, recently extended by 90 days to consolidate gains.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, commended the participating units and charged the Commander Task Group, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, to sustain pressure on criminal networks involved in oil theft.
It reiterated its commitment to protecting critical oil infrastructure, safeguarding the maritime environment and securing the nation’s economic assets.
By PRNigeria
