By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Navy has recorded significant operational gains under Operation Delta Sentinel, with intelligence-driven raids and maritime interceptions leading to the disruption of large-scale illegal refining activities and the recovery of stolen petroleum products valued at billions of naira across the Niger Delta.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder led a series of coordinated operations that dismantled illegal refining sites in Rivers State, particularly in the Ndoni/Egbema general area.
Acting on credible intelligence, naval personnel deployed anti-crude oil theft patrol teams to Umoku in Ndoni, where a major illegal refining site was uncovered. The site reportedly contained numerous dugout pits and locally fabricated ovens used in processing stolen crude oil.
Further assessment revealed about 708,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products, including Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene, as well as approximately 310,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in dugout pits. The products were estimated at over ₦1.06 billion for refined products and about ₦288 million for crude oil. The suspects reportedly fled on sighting the patrol team, while the products were handled in line with operational procedures.
In a separate operation, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, supported by naval air assets, uncovered and deactivated additional illegal crude oil storage sites within Allison Community in Bonny Local Government Area. The operation led to the recovery of about 231,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, valued at over ₦215 million, concealed in dugout pits and linked through improvised distribution channels.
The Navy said the latest operations build on earlier successes recorded between January and March 2026 under Operation Delta Sentinel, during which over 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined products were recovered, valued at over ₦600 million, alongside the deactivation of several illegal refining sites and logistics networks across the Niger Delta.
The maritime component of the operation also recorded major breakthroughs, including the arrest of three vessels, Motor Tankers MKPODU, WESTAF and STELIOS K with over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil. This is equivalent to about 1.04 million litres, valued at over ₦967 million.
The Navy described the combined inland and maritime operations as part of a deliberate multi-domain strategy aimed at dismantling the entire crude oil theft value chain and safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
In response to the sustained operational successes, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved a 90-day extension of Operation Delta Sentinel to maintain pressure on criminal networks and further disrupt illegal activities.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to protecting national economic assets, stressing that it remains resolute in ensuring that crude oil theft and related economic sabotage are decisively curtailed.
