One of the 8 reservoirs laden with 1 million litres of crude oil seized by the Nigeria Army I'm Port-Harcourt
Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft, uncovering three suspected illegal refining sites and recovering about 99,000 litres of products believed to be stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during separate operations in Rivers and Delta states.
Director Naval Information, Navy Captain, Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday.
Captain Folorunsho said the discoveries were made by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH and DELTA on August 31, 2026, following credible intelligence on suspected illegal petroleum activities within their areas of operation.
He said, the operations also led to the discovery of six reservoirs, a large illegal refining oven, storage facilities and dugout reservoirs containing suspected stolen crude oil.
The Naval spokesman said the latest operation marks another breakthrough in the Navy’s sustained campaign to dismantle illegal refining networks and curb economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.
Folorunsho said the combined discoveries dealt a significant blow to the criminal networks involved in crude oil theft by disrupting key facilities used for the storage and processing of stolen petroleum products.
“The identified sites, facilities and recovered products were appropriately handled in accordance with established procedures.
“The latest successes demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s ability to maintain pressure across multiple operational areas while denying criminal networks the infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.”
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations aimed at protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas assets and eliminating illegal refining activities across the country’s maritime environment.
