Nigerian Navy Busts Illegal Refinery Site, Seizes 3,000 Litres of Suspected AGO in Rivers
Operation Delta Sentinel Records Success as Nigerian Navy Destroys Reactivated Illegal Refinery in Rivers
The Nigerian Navy has destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site in Okolomade Community, Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, in a renewed crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.
The operation, carried out on Saturday, March 14, 2026, was executed by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, a task unit under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, following credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refinery in the area had been reactivated.
Acting on the intelligence, NNS SOROH deployed an Anti-Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team to the location. Upon arrival, the team discovered that the previously dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed by suspected operators.
Further search of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of a substance suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The illegal refining infrastructure — including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes, and newly installed metal components used in the refining process — was subsequently destroyed in line with existing operational procedures.
The Nigerian Navy said the successful operation aligns with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the momentum of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal refining networks and safeguarding Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.
