Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Nigerian Navy says it has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining activities with the dismantling of a reactivated illegal refining cluster in Rivers State under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
According to a statement issued on May 17, 2026, by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS SOROH, following intelligence reports of renewed illegal refining activities around Egboama and Ogbogolo communities in Ahoada West Local Government Area.
The Navy said the mission involved a coordinated land, water, and aerial operation supported by drone surveillance to locate concealed refining sites within the creek environment.
Aerial reconnaissance reportedly revealed multiple illegal refining locations hidden within the terrain. Further exploitation of the sites led to the discovery of refining ovens, dugout pits, storage facilities, and equipment used in processing and transporting illegally refined petroleum products.
During the operation, naval personnel recovered about five thousand five hundred litres of suspected crude oil and three thousand litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.
Other items recovered included generators, welding machines, and equipment believed to support the reactivation and expansion of the illegal refining sites.
The Navy noted that the discovery indicates persistent attempts by criminal networks to rebuild previously destroyed refining infrastructure within the Niger Delta.
All identified sites and equipment were deactivated in line with operational procedures, while surveillance operations have been extended to surrounding creek areas to prevent further illegal activity.
The Nigerian Navy said ongoing operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL are now focused on stopping the resurgence of illegal refining camps and dismantling the logistics networks that sustain crude oil theft in the region.
It reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting national economic assets, securing the maritime environment, and denying criminal elements freedom of action in the Niger Delta.