Navy busts 40,000-litre illegal refinery in Rivers, arrests three

The Nigerian Navy and the Federal Government Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Theft have uncovered a 40,000-litre-capacity illegal refinery concealed in the creeks of Bonny Island, Rivers State.

The operation, carried out following intelligence coordinated through the Joint Intelligence Monitoring Team, also led to the arrest of three suspects allegedly linked to the financing of the facility.

Speaking to journalists in Bonny on Friday, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Bonny, Captain Stanley Umeh, described the discovery as the biggest his team had made since he assumed command in March 2026.

Umeh said Navy gunboats transported operatives into the creeks, after which they trekked through dense vegetation to reach the clandestine facility.

“This discovery here is a product of long-time synergy between the base and other security agencies within the island and outside. It has been a product of actionable intelligence over time,” he said.

According to him, the facility was discovered before crude oil had been deposited or processed, unlike many illegal refineries previously encountered by security personnel.

“Most times we go, we see illegal refineries with pits and crude deposited inside. Some have already cooked, and some are yet to be cooked. But this discovery is like nipping the act in the bud,” Umeh said.

He said the structure showed that the operators were preparing to siphon and process large quantities of crude oil.

The Navy commander said the discovery would support efforts to curb crude oil theft and boost Nigeria’s crude oil production.

He assured residents that the Navy would intensify surveillance and patrols across Bonny’s waterways and remote areas.

“It’s been a zero tolerance for us, both in and out of the waters. It’s been zero tolerance for this kind of illegalities within Bonny Local Government Area generally,” Umeh said.

He added that the operation was in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s directive on combating crude oil theft.

Also speaking, the Head of Investigation of the Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Theft, Omar John Sini, said the operation resulted from collaboration among intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies.

Sini said the task force, inaugurated by the Federal Government on March 1, 2025, was established to investigate and prosecute illicit activities in the hydrocarbon sector.

“Since inception to now, we’ve been able to secure at least 137 convictions, and that is largely responsible for the drop in the illicit activities in the hydrocarbon sector,” he said.

He said intelligence provided by the Joint Intelligence Monitoring Team, led by Major General A.A. Idris under the supervision of the Chief of Defence Staff, helped security personnel identify and track the facility.

Sini said the joint approach was designed to detect and disrupt criminal operations before they became fully operational.

“The primary purpose of law enforcement is to detect crime. We don’t even want it to occur so that we don’t be reactive, we want to be preventive,” he said.

According to him, three suspects allegedly associated with financing the illegal refinery are in custody.

He said the suspects had invested millions of naira in constructing the facility and that the authorities had approached the court for the necessary orders.

Sini said the facility would be dealt with in accordance with existing laws before the suspects face prosecution.

He also called for stronger sentencing provisions for petroleum theft offences, arguing that existing penalties may not provide sufficient deterrence.