Navy destroys 71 illegal refineries, seizes stolen oil

The Nigerian Navy has announced significant achievements in its fight against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes during its Operation Delta Sanity in July 2025.

The operation, relaunched in December 2024, has continued to yield remarkable results in safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain.

Throughout the month, Navy personnel uncovered and deactivated over 71 illegal refinery sites and 120 dugout pits across the Niger Delta region.

These sites collectively contained about 411,400 litres of stolen crude oil, 87,825 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 72,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), and 21,900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The crackdown began on 4 July when six illegal refinery sites were dismantled around Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni communities in Rivers State, where 40 dugout pits held approximately 66,000 litres of suspected crude oil and 30 reservoirs contained about 40,000 litres of AGO.

Similar operations followed across Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states, leading to multiple arrests, seizures of smuggled petroleum products, and destruction of infrastructure used in illegal refining.

In Akwa Ibom, three suspected smugglers were intercepted on 14 July in a wooden boat loaded with 2,500 litres of PMS allegedly destined for Cameroon.

Another group was arrested the same day along the Agbani axis with a similar quantity of PMS.

In Bayelsa, two large-scale illegal refinery sites at Biseni Community were dismantled between 22 and 23 July, with over 450,000 litres of stolen crude oil discovered during follow-up operations.

The Nigerian Navy credited these successes to its intensified patrols and targeted raids, which have disrupted criminal networks involved in oil theft, smuggling, and illegal refining.

According to the Director of Naval Information, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the operations not only prevented massive economic losses but also supported the recent increase in Nigeria’s oil production, which the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) confirmed has now exceeded 1.8 million barrels per day.

Adams-Aliu reaffirmed the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to completely eradicate crude oil theft, enhance maritime safety, and strengthen national security.

He noted that the Navy remains resolute in sustaining the momentum of Operation Delta Sanity to protect the country’s maritime resources and deter illicit activities across the Niger Delta.