Nigerian Navy foils return of illegal refining activities in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy has announced that it has foiled renewed attempts to re-establish illegal refining operations in Rivers State.

A statement issued by Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, said based on credible intelligence, personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, operating under Operation Delta Sentinel, executed 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 discovered two illegal refining sites, which included eight dugout pits and reservoirs containing an estimated 15,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 105,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.

The statement emphasized that the operation not only disrupted illicit activities but also thwarted the re-establishment of a refining network capable of perpetuating crude oil theft and causing environmental harm.

Furthermore, it stated that the illegal refining sites and the recovered products were managed in accordance with existing anti-crude oil theft protocols, thereby denying economic saboteurs access to resources meant to support their criminal activities.

The Nigerian Navy reiterated its commitment to maintaining 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.