The Nigerian Navy has recovered 119,850 litres of crude oil suspected to have been stolen, 350 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 25 parcels of suspected Cannabis sativa at an illegal refining site in Ogbogolo Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The recovery was made on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH following credible intelligence on the activities at the site.
According to the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the suspected stolen crude oil was discovered in five dugout pits, while the illegally refined AGO was recovered in six sacks.
He said no arrest was made as the suspects fled the area upon sighting the naval personnel.
Folorunsho added that the recovered petroleum products and suspected illicit substances were handled in accordance with extant regulations.
The latest operation was conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, the Nigerian Navy’s ongoing campaign against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.
The recovery came shortly after the conviction of nine crude oil thieves by the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, following their arrest during a Nigerian Navy-led operation under the same initiative.
The Navy said the successive operational gains demonstrated the impact of intelligence-led maritime and riverine interdictions aimed at disrupting the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and illegal refining.
It added that the operation was not only focused on the recovery of stolen petroleum products but also on strengthening the process from detection and interdiction to prosecution and conviction of offenders.
