Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
In a fresh blow to oil thieves in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Navy has uncovered and dismantled a massive illegal refining network in Rivers State, recovering an estimated 184,000 litres of suspected stolen Automotive Gas Oil.
The Nigerian Navy says its ongoing Operation DELTA SENTINEL has once again disrupted criminal activities in Ndoni area of Rivers State, where reactivated illegal refining camps were discovered and taken out.
Naval operatives from Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER stormed the site and uncovered a complex network of dugout pits and concealed storage points filled with large quantities of suspected illegally refined fuel.
Preliminary assessments put the volume of recovered Automotive Gas Oil at about 184,000 litres, highlighting the scale of the illegal operation being run in the area.
The Navy says the latest bust reflects a worrying trend where oil theft syndicates repeatedly reactivate abandoned sites and rebuild their operations shortly after enforcement actions.
The Navy describes the criminal networks as highly organised, with interconnected systems of supply, storage, and distribution designed to evade security surveillance and sustain illicit fuel production.
Following the discovery, the illegal refining sites and recovered products were destroyed in line with operational procedures, while intensified surveillance has been launched to prevent a resurgence of activity in the area.
The Navy further stressed that Operation DELTA SENTINEL is now focused not just on stopping illegal refining, but on completely dismantling the support structures that allow these criminal enterprises to survive.
For communities in the Niger Delta, illegal refining continues to pose serious threats, including environmental pollution, destruction of aquatic life, health hazards, and huge losses in national revenue.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustained operations aimed at protecting critical national assets and securing the maritime environment from economic saboteurs.