Nigerian Navy's Operation Delta Sentinel Targets Oil Theft

Operation Delta Sentinel, launched by the Nigerian Navy, aims to combat crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and pipeline vandalism. Under the leadership of Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who assumed office on October 24, 2025, the operation intensified significantly.

Between April and June 2026, the Navy conducted over 580 operations, resulting in the arrest of 91 suspects, destruction of 58 illegal refining sites, dismantling of 48 illegal storage facilities, deactivation of 239 dugout pits, and recovery of 4.7 million litres of stolen petroleum products. Additionally, three motor tankers carrying over 1,000 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude were intercepted.

The operation's extension for 90 days was approved by Abbas to maintain momentum against economic sabotage, with a focus on intelligence-led raids and inter-agency collaboration across the Niger Delta and adjoining maritime corridors.