Nigerian Navy Destroys Reactivated Illegal Refinery, Seizes 184,000 Litres of Stolen Products in Rivers State

The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta, uncovering and dismantling a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State with an estimated 184,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products recovered during the operation.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information.

According to the statement, the successful operation was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER under the ongoing Operation DELTA SENTINEL, a military initiative targeted at dismantling criminal networks involved in oil theft, illegal bunkering, and pipeline vandalism across the Niger Delta region.

The Navy explained that the illegal refining site had resumed operations after previous enforcement actions in the area, prompting renewed surveillance and tactical intervention by naval personnel.

“The operation, conducted by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, targeted criminal infrastructure believed to have resumed activities after earlier enforcement actions within the area,” the statement read.

During the raid, naval operatives reportedly uncovered an extensive network of dugout pits, makeshift reservoirs, storage tanks, drums, and concealed refining points used for processing stolen crude oil into Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel.

The statement further revealed that preliminary assessment showed approximately 184,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products stored across different locations within the illegal refining cluster.

Security sources noted that the illegal refinery was strategically hidden within the creeks to evade detection by security agencies, a tactic commonly employed by oil thieves and economic saboteurs operating in the Niger Delta.

The Navy said the operation forms part of broader efforts to disrupt the supply chain and operational structures sustaining crude oil theft and illegal refining activities, which have continued to cause massive economic losses and environmental degradation in oil-producing communities.

Over the years, illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta have contributed significantly to pipeline destruction, oil spills, and pollution of rivers and farmlands, while also affecting Nigeria’s crude oil production output.

The Nigerian Navy reiterated its commitment to sustaining aggressive anti-crude oil theft operations in collaboration with other security agencies and stakeholders to safeguard the nation’s oil infrastructure and improve national revenue generation.

The service also called on residents of host communities to support ongoing security efforts by providing credible intelligence capable of exposing criminal hideouts and illegal refining camps operating within their areas.

TVC

Include picture