The Nigerian Navy has dismantled two reactivated illegal refining sites in Rivers State and recovered more than 126,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in a renewed crackdown on crude oil theft.
The operation, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER in the Egbema axis of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area after intelligence revealed that oil theft syndicates had resumed operations at sites previously destroyed by the Navy.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operatives recovered about 76,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 50,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in seven dugout pits and reservoirs.
He said the refining camps had earlier been dismantled on July 10 but were reactivated by their operators, prompting sustained surveillance and a follow-up operation that led to their rediscovery and destruction.
Folorunsho said the operation underscores the Navy’s resolve to deny crude oil thieves operational footholds, adding that the illegal facilities were dismantled and the recovered products handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations to dismantle illegal refining infrastructure, disrupt crude oil theft networks and protect Nigeria’s critical oil and gas assets.