Nigerian Navy Discovers Illegal Refineries, Recovers Oil Worth Billions in Rivers

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigerian Navy under Operation Delta Sentinel has discovered large-scale illegal refining and crude oil storage sites in Rivers State, recovering petroleum products and crude oil valued at billions of naira.

The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder led intelligence-driven operations targeting crude oil theft in parts of the state.

He said naval personnel deployed anti-crude oil theft patrol teams to Ndoni/Egbema, where a major illegal refining site was uncovered in Umoku, Ndoni. The site contained several dugout pits and locally fabricated refining ovens.

According to him, about 708,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products, including Automotive Gas Oil and Dual PurposeKerosene, as well as 310,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil were discovered at the site. The refined products were estimated at over ₦1.06 billion, while the crude oil was valued at about ₦288 million. The suspects fled on sighting the patrol team.

In a related operation, Forward Operating Base Bonny, supported by naval air assets, uncovered and deactivated illegal crude oil storage sites in Allison Community, Bonny Local Government Area. About 231,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, estimated at over ₦215 million, were recovered from dugout pits linked to waterways.

The Navy said the recent operations build on earlier successes recorded between January and March 2026, during which over 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and refined products valued at more than ₦600 million were recovered, alongside the destruction of several illegal refining sites.

It added that three vessels — MT Mkpodu, MT Westaf and MT Stelios K — were also arrested with over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil, equivalent to about 1.04 million litres valued at over ₦967 million.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved a 90-day extension of Operation Delta Sentinel to sustain the crackdown on crude oil theft.

The Nigerian Navy said it remains committed to protecting the country’s oil infrastructure and curbing economic sabotage.