The Nigerian Navy has recovered 33,800 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products from two illegal refining sites in Rivers State as part of its ongoing crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.

The Navy disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.

According to the statement, naval personnel discovered and deactivated two illegal refining sites during the operation.

It said the operation was carried out on Friday, September 25, 2026, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, following credible intelligence on activities at Ogbogolo community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.

The operation led to the recovery of approximately 28,520 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 5,280 litres of stolen crude oil.

According to the statement, other items recovered from the sites included 48 sacks, three dugout pits, two kegs and three cooking drums allegedly used for the storage and processing of the illegally refined products.

It added that the suspected operators abandoned the sites and fled after sighting the naval personnel.

The Navy said the operation was part of sustained efforts under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to disrupt the networks and infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.

The statement said the latest operation reflected the Nigerian Navy’s strategy of persistent surveillance, intelligence-led operations and targeted disruption of the infrastructure and networks sustaining crude oil theft.

It further stated that the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, had directed formations and units to maintain pressure on criminal networks involved in oil theft and illegal refining.

According to the statement, the directive was aimed at denying the perpetrators freedom of action, protecting critical oil and gas infrastructure and creating a safer environment for legitimate economic activities across the Niger Delta.

The service assured that it would continue to deploy maritime domain awareness capabilities, intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies and host communities to sustain the gains recorded under the operation.

It said the efforts were integral to the Navy’s contribution towards securing Nigeria’s energy resources, improving crude oil production and strengthening national economic security. (Nigerian Tribune)