By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered three suspected illegal refining sites, six reservoirs and approximately 99,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers and Delta states.
The discoveries were made during separate operations conducted by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH and NNS DELTA on August 31, 2026, following credible intelligence on suspected illegal petroleum activities.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, the operations also uncovered illegal refining infrastructure, including a large refining oven, storage facilities and dugout reservoirs containing suspected stolen crude oil.
The Navy said the operations represented a significant disruption to illicit petroleum activities, particularly the storage and processing infrastructure used to sustain crude oil theft and illegal refining.
It added that the identified sites, facilities and recovered petroleum products were handled in accordance with established procedures.
The Navy further stated that the latest successes demonstrated its ability to sustain pressure across multiple operational areas and deny criminal networks the infrastructure required to carry out crude oil theft and illegal refining.
