Nigerian Navy Stops Illegal Refining Operations in Rivers State

The Nigerian Navy has reported that it has disrupted renewed attempts to re‑establish illegal refining operations in Rivers State.

A statement from Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, said that, based on credible intelligence, personnel from the Nigerian Navy ship NNS Pathfinder, operating under Operation Delta Sentinel, carried out an anti‑crude oil theft operation in the Oseokishikpa area of Ogba‑Egbema‑Ndoni Local Government Area in Rivers State.

During the operation, naval personnel uncovered two illegal refining sites that included eight dug‑out pits and reservoirs holding an estimated 15,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 105,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

The statement highlighted that the operation not only disrupted illicit activities but also prevented the re‑establishment of a refining network capable of sustaining crude oil theft and causing environmental damage.

It also noted that the illegal refining sites and the recovered products were handled in accordance with existing anti‑crude oil theft protocols, thereby denying economic saboteurs access to resources that would support their criminal activities.

The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence‑driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel to dismantle crude oil theft networks, protect vital national infrastructure, and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests in the Niger Delta.