“Niger-Delta Bleeds Again: Navy Destroys Illegal Refinery in Rivers, Seizes Thousands of Litres of Stolen Fuel”
By Passman Akpos
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its ongoing crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery in Rivers State while intercepting thousands of litres of suspected stolen petroleum products in Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, uncovered and dismantled a reactivated illegal refinery site in Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Folorunsho explained that the operation followed credible intelligence indicating that an illegal refining facility previously destroyed by security forces had resumed operations.
Naval operatives deployed an Anti–Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team to the area, where they discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed by suspected oil thieves.
Further inspection of the site revealed additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of a substance suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
“The illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, were destroyed in line with operational procedures,” Folorunsho stated.
In a separate operation, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
Folorunsho said the interception was based on intelligence reports suggesting that petroleum products were being siphoned from vessels berthed at the port.
Naval patrol teams swiftly moved to the area and traced the stolen products to a trailer park within the port facility. However, the suspected perpetrators reportedly fled upon sighting the patrol team.
“The area was immediately cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he added.A further inspection of the location led to the recovery of the petroleum products stored in drums and jerry cans. The items have since been evacuated to the naval base for further investigation and necessary action in line with existing regulations.
Folorunsho noted that the successful operations align with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, who has ordered intensified actions against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through enhanced surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.
The latest crackdown highlights the persistent challenge of oil theft in the Niger Delta and the continued efforts by security agencies to curb the illegal trade that has cost Nigeria billions in lost revenue.
