The Nigerian Navy has uncovered nine illegal refining sites in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, dealing a significant blow to crude oil theft syndicates operating in the region. The operation, conducted by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, was detailed in an operational report released by the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, on Tuesday, July 21, in Abuja.
Details of the Raid
According to Capt. Folorunsho, the operation uncovered nine illegal refining sites comprising 23 dugout pits. Of these, 18 pits contained an estimated 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil. The navy also discovered five newly excavated pits that were prepared for imminent use, which were neutralised before they could become operational.
“The operation dealt another major setback to crude oil theft syndicates and further reinforced the service’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure,” Folorunsho stated. He added that the operation was based on actionable intelligence targeting criminal infrastructure concealed within the Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities.
Recovery of Equipment and Impact
During the raid, naval personnel recovered eight locally fabricated refining pots and three large storage tanks, further disrupting the criminal network’s refining capability. “All illegal facilities and recovered products were handled in accordance with extant anti-crude oil theft procedures,” Folorunsho confirmed.
The navy’s actions prevented the expansion of illegal refining networks in the locality, denying economic saboteurs the opportunity to activate new refining locations and sustain illicit petroleum production. “The operation denied economic saboteurs the opportunity to activate new refining locations and sustain illicit petroleum production,” he emphasised.
Navy’s Commitment to Combating Oil Theft
The naval spokesperson reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations to dismantle criminal logistics, protect strategic national assets, and preserve the integrity of the nation’s oil and gas sector. “The latest success highlights the Nigerian navy’s determination not only to disrupt illegal refining activities, but also prevent criminal networks from rebuilding their infrastructure,” Folorunsho said.
By targeting both active and emerging illegal refining hubs, the service continues to weaken the operational resilience of crude oil theft syndicates and protect Nigeria’s economic interests. The navy has pledged to maintain pressure on illegal refiners through continuous patrols and intelligence-led operations.
