The Nigerian Navy says it has intensified operations under “Operation Delta Sentinel,” disrupting large-scale crude oil theft and illegal refining activities across Rivers State.
The Navy in a statement said personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder uncovered an illegal refining site in Umoku, Ndoni, with dugout pits and makeshift ovens used to process stolen crude oil. The Navy said the site contained about 708,000 litres of suspected illegally refined products, including Automotive Gas Oil and kerosene, and about 310,000 litres of stolen crude oil. The haul is valued at over ₦1.3 billion. “The perpetrators fled upon sighting the patrol team,” the Navy said, adding that the products were handled in line with standard operational procedures. In a separate operation, Forward Operating Base Bonny, supported by air assets, deactivated illegal storage sites in the Allison community, recovering about 231,000 litres of stolen crude oil valued at over ₦215 million. The Navy said cumulative operations between January and March 2026 led to the recovery of more than 457,000 litres of stolen crude and refined products worth over ₦600 million, alongside the destruction of several illegal refining sites. It also confirmed the interception of three vessels—MT MKPODU, WESTAF, and STELIOS K—carrying over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil, estimated at about ₦967 million. The Navy described the operations as part of a coordinated “multi-domain strategy” aimed at dismantling the crude oil theft supply chain. Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has extended Operation Delta Sentinel by 90 days to sustain pressure on oil theft networks. “The extension is to ensure operational momentum is sustained and economic saboteurs are driven out of business,” the Navy said. The service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s oil infrastructure and safeguarding national economic interests.
