Nigerian Navy Dismantles Five Illegal Oil Refineries in Rivers State
In a decisive operation aimed at curbing oil theft and environmental degradation, the Nigerian Navy has successfully dismantled five illegal oil refining sites in Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, conducted by the Tactical Riverine Assault Squadron of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, was part of the ongoing “Operation Delta Sanity II.”
The mission, under the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, led to the discovery and destruction of multiple illegal refining facilities.
Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku, Commander of NNS Pathfinder, revealed during a press briefing that the sites were equipped with 62 locally fabricated ovens, 21 reservoirs, and 55 dugout pits used to store and process stolen crude oil.
The Navy recovered approximately 50,000 litres of crude oil, 83,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel), and about 20,000 litres of illegally refined kerosene.
Although no arrests were made, as the suspects fled the scene before the naval team arrived, Aniaku assured the public that the Navy remains undeterred.
“The operation is in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s directive to rid the nation’s waterways of all forms of criminality, particularly illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft,” he said.
The recovered petroleum products were neutralised in accordance with standard procedures, and the refining equipment was destroyed to prevent reuse.
The Navy further confirmed that its operations are guided by real-time intelligence and surveillance data, and it will continue to increase the tempo of such missions across the Niger Delta region.
Illegal oil refining has long posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s economy and environment, particularly in oil-rich states like Rivers. Crude oil theft is estimated to cost the country billions of dollars annually in lost revenue, while also contributing significantly to environmental pollution and damage to local ecosystems.
As part of its broader security mandate, the Nigerian Navy has intensified maritime patrols and inland waterway surveillance.
The recent operation in Rivers State adds to a growing list of successful raids aimed at disrupting criminal networks involved in oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
The Navy has called on residents to support its efforts by providing credible information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of those behind these illegal activities.
