Nigerian Military Dismantles 101 Illegal Refineries in 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, the Nigerian military, under the direction of Defence Headquarters, destroyed 101 illegal refineries and arrested 219 suspects linked to crude oil theft and related crimes. This information was disclosed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, during a quarterly media briefing in Abuja.

The military intensified operations across the South-South region, particularly in states like Akwa Ibom, to combat oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and kidnapping. Troops recovered a total of 547,920 liters of stolen petroleum products, including crude oil, automotive gas oil, kerosene, and premium motor spirit.

Notably, in March alone, 193,570 liters of petroleum products were intercepted, and 45,000 liters of stolen crude oil were seized. Despite these efforts, illegal crude oil refining remains a significant issue in the Niger Delta, as highlighted by recent reports from Nairametrics.