Navy Dismantles Illegal Refineries, Recovers 91,000 Litres

The Nigerian Navy, under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, dismantled three illegal refining sites located in the Okolomade and Ogbogolo areas of Rivers State, recovering around 91,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil. This operation was reported by Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, the Director of Naval Information, on Saturday in Abuja.

Conducted by personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH on Friday, the operation followed credible intelligence regarding the reactivation of illegal refining activities in the region. The Navy's findings included two cooking drums, two large ovens, 10 reservoirs, and four storage facilities linked to illegal refining.

This intervention disrupted the operators' infrastructure, preventing them from continuing their activities. The operation is part of ongoing efforts by the Navy to combat crude oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta, which remains a significant challenge for Nigeria.

Previous operations included the interception of a vessel in July carrying 682.82 metric tonnes of suspected stolen petroleum products.