The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, dismantling two illegal refining sites and recovering more than 85,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil during an operation in Rivers State.
The operation, carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel, targeted illegal refining activities within the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni axis of Rivers State, where naval personnel uncovered and deactivated the illicit facilities.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the development on Thursday, stating that approximately 85,300 litres of products believed to be stolen crude oil were recovered from dugout pits and storage reservoirs at the sites.
According to him, the latest operation followed a similar raid conducted in the same area just days earlier, where illegal refining infrastructure was also dismantled.
Folorunsho said the repeated discoveries indicate that crude oil thieves continue to attempt to revive illegal refining operations despite ongoing security efforts by the Navy.
He noted that the sustained operational presence of naval personnel in identified hotspots has significantly disrupted the activities of economic saboteurs and prevented them from maintaining illegal refining networks.
The Navy added that its operations are aimed at protecting Nigeria’s vital oil and gas infrastructure while safeguarding the country’s economic interests.
Folorunsho reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy remains committed to sustaining pressure on criminal networks involved in crude oil theft and illegal refining through continued operations under Operation Delta Sentinel.
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