Navy destroys 3 illegal refineries, recovers 91,000 litres of crude in Rivers State
By Aboki Forex —
The Nigerian Navy has dismantled three illegal refining sites in the Okolomade and Ogbogolo areas of Rivers State and recovered about 91,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil. Personnel from Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH carried out the operation on Friday following intelligence about the reactivation of illegal refining activities.
The Navy's Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in an operational report on Saturday in Abuja. The operation is part of Operation Delta Sentinel, the Navy's ongoing crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining across the Niger Delta.
What the Navy found
Folorunsho said the raid uncovered two cooking drums, two large ovens, 10 reservoirs and four storage facilities linked to illegal refining. "Two makeshift camps suspected to have provided shelter for illegal refiners were also discovered, alongside approximately 91,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil," he said.
"The operation also led to the discovery of about 70 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO." AGO, or Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel, was found in small quantity at the site.
The Navy said all recovered products and materials were handled according to established procedures. The three sites were dismantled to stop the operators from returning, Folorunsho explained.
Pattern of recent Navy operations
The latest raid follows a string of similar interventions in Rivers State and other Niger Delta locations. In July, the Navy dismantled four illegal refining sites in Rivers and recovered about 43,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products.
In June, naval personnel recovered approximately 63,290 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO and intercepted a vehicle linked to an illicit petroleum distribution network. The Navy also intercepted a vessel in July carrying 682.82 metric tonnes of suspected stolen petroleum products, made up of 650 metric tonnes of crude oil and 32.82 metric tonnes of fuel oil.
On July 2, the Navy dismantled an illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil concealed in dugout pits.
What it means for Nigeria's oil revenue
The sustained crackdown on crude oil theft protects Nigeria's critical national assets. Each illegal refinery dismantled and every litre of crude recovered means more oil available for export, which supports government revenue and foreign exchange earnings. That ultimately matters for the naira and the wider economy.