The Nigerian Navy has thwarted an attempt by crude oil theft syndicates to revive a major illegal refining network in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovered large volumes of suspected crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products.
The operation, carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER, was part of sustained anti-crude oil theft patrols across the Niger Delta.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation followed actionable intelligence indicating that criminal elements had resumed activities at previously dismantled illegal refining sites around Egbema.
Folorunsho said naval personnel subsequently uncovered three reactivated illegal refining sites linked to an extensive network of 13 dugout pits used for storing and processing stolen petroleum products.
He disclosed that operatives discovered about 260,000 litres of products suspected to be crude oil and approximately 405,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), suggesting a major effort by the syndicates to restore refining operations in the area.
The Navy further revealed that preliminary investigations showed the operators sourced crude oil from an abandoned wellhead, highlighting the continued exploitation of dormant oil infrastructure by criminal networks.
According to the statement, the operation reflects the Navy’s increasing focus on preventing the resurgence of illegal refining ecosystems across the Niger Delta, especially in locations previously raided by security forces.
“The illegal refining sites, dugout pits, and associated products were subsequently handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures,” the statement added.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling crude oil theft networks, protecting critical national assets, and safeguarding Nigeria’s economic interests.
