Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder have dismantled nine illegal refining sites containing approximately 175,000 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, conducted on May 12, was part of the Navy’s ongoing crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
According to a statement personally signed by the Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Aniaku, the sites housed 45 refining ovens, 30 reservoirs, and 75 dugout pits. These facilities were used to store and process an estimated 60,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 80,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and 33,000 litres of kerosene.
“The NNS Pathfinder’s Tactical Riverine Assault Squadron Team, acting on credible intelligence, deployed personnel and assets to conduct anti-crude oil theft and illegal bunkering operations,” Aniaku stated. “During the operation, the team discovered two wellheads connected with pipes used for siphoning crude oil.”
The pipes, which were used by oil thieves to divert crude to their illicit camps, were dismantled along with the refining infrastructure.
The Navy noted that the products discovered were handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures. No arrests were made during the operation, as the perpetrators reportedly fled upon sighting the naval patrol team.
Aniaku commended the personnel involved for their professionalism and courage, reaffirming the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to eradicate crude oil theft and related criminal activities under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
“This operation underscores our commitment to securing Nigeria’s oil infrastructure,” Aniaku said. “Crude oil theft and illegal bunkering continue to pose serious threats to the nation’s economy and energy security, and we will not relent in our efforts to combat them.”
The Navy has intensified surveillance and tactical interventions in oil-producing areas as part of its broader strategy to protect national assets and uphold maritime security.
