Navy busts 6 illegal refineries, seizes crude oil

The Nigerian Navy has dismantled six illegal refining sites and seized over 11,000 litres of stolen crude oil in a fresh clampdown on oil thieves in the Niger Delta.

The operation, carried out by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos, was part of Operation Delta Sanity II, a sustained push to boost Nigeria’s crude production and crush economic sabotage.

FOB Commanding Officer, Navy Capt. Ikenna Okoloagu, said the raid followed credible intelligence that led to the deactivation of the illegal sites in the creeks around Obodo Omadino, Warri South-West, Delta State.

“We seized about 11,200 litres of stolen crude from 28 dugout pits and six polythene sacks, alongside a pumping machine,” Okoloagu told journalists on Friday in Warri.

He said the operation, in line with directives from the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, reflected the Navy’s renewed commitment to protect national oil assets.

“FOB Escravos remains unwavering in its drive to dismantle illegal refining networks and safeguard Nigeria’s oil wealth,” Okoloagu added.

The Navy has intensified its offensive against crude oil theft, with multiple illegal refineries destroyed in recent months across the Niger Delta.