Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Nigerian Navy has dealt another major blow to crude oil theft syndicates after operatives uncovered and dismantled a reactivated illegal refining network in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, led to the recovery of hundreds of thousands of litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products.
According to a statement by the Navy Spokesperson Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the breakthrough followed sustained anti-crude oil theft patrols and actionable intelligence indicating that criminal elements had returned to previously destroyed illegal refining camps in the Egbema axis.
Naval operatives subsequently stormed the area and uncovered three illegal refining sites connected to a network of 13 dugout pits used for storing and processing stolen petroleum products.
During the raid, security personnel recovered about 260,000 litres of substances suspected to be crude oil and approximately 405,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate exploited crude oil from an abandoned wellhead in the area, highlighting how oil thieves continue to manipulate dormant infrastructure to sustain illegal operations.
The Navy said the latest operation reflects its intensified strategy not only to destroy illegal refining sites but also to prevent criminal networks from re-establishing operations after previous crackdowns.
The statement noted that intelligence reports had shown repeated attempts by oil theft syndicates to return to the same locations despite earlier enforcement actions, making sustained surveillance and rapid-response operations increasingly critical.
Consequently, the illegal refining camps, dugout pits, and recovered products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to dismantle criminal networks, protect critical national assets, and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests from oil theft and economic sabotage.