The Nigeria military has recorded another major breakthrough in the fight against crude oil theft as the Nigerian Navy thwarted the expansion of an illegal refining network and recovered about 104,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, carried out under Operation DELTA SENTINEL by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, followed credible intelligence that led operatives to criminal facilities hidden within the Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation targeted illegal refining infrastructure before it could be expanded, denying economic saboteurs the opportunity to establish new refining sites and sustain illicit petroleum production.
During the raid, naval personnel uncovered nine illegal refining sites containing 23 dugout pits. Eighteen of the pits held an estimated 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil, while five newly excavated pits, prepared for immediate use, were destroyed before becoming operational.
The operatives also recovered eight locally fabricated refining pots and three large storage tanks, significantly disrupting the operational capability of the criminal network. The Navy said all illegal facilities and recovered products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.
Folorunsho noted that the successful operation underscores the Nigerian Navy’s determination not only to dismantle active illegal refining operations but also to prevent criminal syndicates from rebuilding their infrastructure.
He reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy would continue intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to dismantle crude oil theft networks, protect critical national assets, and safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
