Key Points
- Nigerian Navy personnel dismantled three illegal refining sites in Rivers State.
- About 91,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 70 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO were recovered.
- The operation also uncovered equipment and makeshift camps linked to illegal refining activities.
Main Story
The Nigerian Navy, through Operation DELTA SENTINEL, has dismantled three illegal refining sites in the Okolomade and Ogbogolo areas of Rivers State, recovering about 91,000 litres of crude oil suspected to have been stolen.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in an operational report made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.
Folorunsho said personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH carried out the operation on Friday after receiving intelligence about the suspected reactivation of illegal refining activities in the area.
He said the operation uncovered two cooking drums, two large ovens, 10 reservoirs and four storage facilities associated with the illegal refining activities.
Two makeshift camps suspected to have provided shelter for illegal refiners were also discovered.
The operation also led to the recovery of about 70 litres of a product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
Folorunsho said the recovered products, equipment and illegal refining sites were handled in accordance with established procedures.
He said the operation disrupted the reactivated facilities and deprived their operators of the infrastructure required to resume their activities.
According to him, the operation was part of the navy’s sustained efforts to prevent criminal elements from rebuilding illegal refining infrastructure in areas previously affected by crude oil theft and illegal refining.
Folorunsho reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to dismantling infrastructure supporting crude oil theft, protecting critical national assets and safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.
The Issues
The operation targeted suspected illegal refining facilities that had reportedly been reactivated in parts of Rivers State. The discovery of storage facilities, refining equipment and makeshift camps indicates the infrastructure allegedly supporting the activities in the affected areas.
The recovery of crude oil suspected to have been stolen and illegally refined AGO also highlights the link between crude oil theft and unauthorised refining activities.
What’s Being Said
“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.” — Abiodun Folorunsho
“The operation also led to the discovery of about 70 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO.” — Abiodun Folorunsho
What’s Next
The Nigerian Navy said it would sustain operations aimed at disrupting infrastructure used for crude oil theft and illegal refining.
Bottom Line
The navy’s latest operation in Rivers State dismantled three suspected illegal refining sites and recovered crude oil and illegally refined products, as security efforts continue against activities affecting Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.
