Nigerian Navy has uncovered two more illegal refining sites in Rivers State, recovering an estimated 53,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, but the operators escaped before troops arrived.
The operation, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, exposed about eight dugout pits and storage containers holding approximately 23,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 30,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
No arrests were made as the suspected operators fled before the arrival of the naval team.
The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the sites and recovered products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.
The latest operation comes barely a month after personnel of NNS PATHFINDER uncovered and deactivated three illegal refining sites in the same general area on October 10, 2026.
The discovery of more illegal refining facilities in the area highlights the persistent challenge facing efforts to dismantle the networks behind crude oil theft, even as the Navy sustains its operations against the illicit trade.
The Navy said the successive operations demonstrated its resolve to dismantle illegal refining infrastructure, disrupt oil theft networks and deny economic saboteurs access to the nation’s petroleum resources.
It reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure, support national crude oil production and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests.
