The Nigerian Navy destroyed a rebuilt illegal refinery and seized 8,500 litres of suspected stolen oil along the Rivers–Bayelsa border.
Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, the Director of Naval Information, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Folorunsho said that the operation was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
He explained that, prior to their intervention, the Navy first received credible intelligence about illegal refining activities in the Egboama/Ogbogolo community in the Ahoada West Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.
Acting on this intelligence, the Navy organised a coordinated operation involving land and water insertions, along with aerial surveillance to locate concealed refining sites within the creek.
During the resulting operation, the troops discovered approximately 5,500 litres of suspected crude oil and 3,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
During the operation, generators, welding machines, and other tools used to expand the illegal facilities were also recovered.
He noted that the operation’s findings revealed deliberate efforts by criminal networks to restore the refining infrastructure that security forces had previously destroyed.
“All identified sites and equipment have been deactivated in line with operational procedures, while surveillance and monitoring of adjoining creek corridors remain ongoing,” he said.
The naval spokesman said that the sustained operations were focused on preventing the re-establishment of illegal refining camps and dismantling support structures sustaining crude oil theft.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting critical national assets, securing the maritime domain and denying economic saboteurs freedom of action in the Niger Delta.
