Navy demolishes clandestine oil facility in Rivers, seizes pilfered fuel in Calabar operation

The Nigerian Navy has successfully dismantled an illegal refinery site that had been reactivated in Rivers State, while also seizing stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and economic sabotage.

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This development was disclosed by the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, on Sunday, who revealed that the operations were conducted by naval personnel under Operation Delta Sentinel on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

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The illegal refinery was uncovered in the Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, following the receipt of credible intelligence that a previously dismantled refining site had been reactivated, prompting the deployment of an Anti-Crude Oil Theft team to the location.

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Personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh, a task unit under Operation Delta Sentinel, discovered that the previously dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed, and further searches led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing approximately 3,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

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The team subsequently destroyed the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes, and newly installed metal components used for refining activities, in accordance with established operational procedures.

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In a separate incident, Captain Folorunsho reported that personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, acting on intelligence regarding suspected siphoning of fuel from vessels berthed at the port.

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Naval operatives swiftly deployed to the area, tracing the products to a trailer park within the port facility, and upon sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, allowing the navy to cordon off the area and recover about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerry cans.

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The recovered products were evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action, in accordance with relevant regulations, as the Nigerian Navy continues to sustain the momentum of Operation Delta Sentinel through intensified surveillance, patrols, and intelligence-driven operations.

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According to Captain Folorunsho, the successes achieved by the Nigerian Navy align 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 the country.