The Nigerian Navy says its personnel deployed for Operation Delta Sanity 11 destroyed over 20 Illegal refining sites and confiscated 10 Wooden boats used to convey the stolen products.
A statement by the Director Information Commodore A. Adams-Aliu said the troops also seized large quantities of illegally refined products and arrested seven suspects within the month.
Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of the Naval Staff, reassured that the Nigerian Navy will continue to work assiduously to eradicate maritime crimes in Nigerian waters.
“These successful operations in January 2025 underscore the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to eradicate Crude oil theft,” he said.
The statement said troops, on 6 January 2025, seized one wooden boat and one fibre boat laden with about 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil around the Krakrama general area in Rivers State.
Again, troops on 7 January 2025, destroyed nine inter-linked Illegal Refinery Sites and 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil in four huge tanks, with an additional 1,400 litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) at Obe-Nla riverine community in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State.
The team also recovered two pumping machines and two locally fabricated wooden boats from the location.
Also, on 10 January 2025, one medium-sized wooden passenger/cargo boat conveying six 250-litre capacity drums filled with illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was seized around Bendero and Uta Uyata general axis in the Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Troops during the operation arrested five suspects.
Furthermore, on 11 January 2025, troops raided a militant camp in Opu-Okumbiri, Akassa axis of Brass local government area of Bayelsa State and arrested two suspected kidnappers.
Items seized from the suspects include one AK 56 assault rifle, three locally fabricated guns, five pump action guns, one foreign double barrel gun, 68 rounds of 7.62/39mm, six rounds of 7.62/51mm NATO, 25 shotgun cartridges, four empty AK47 rifle magazines, one National Identity Card, one debit card, one MTN sim card, one Itel phone, one Infinix smartphone, a cash sum of 11,500 naira, one chain saw machine, one hand saw and one Airtel pack without sim.
Similarly, on 12 January 2025, troops discovered a vandalised point along Akaso well 14 and 17 flow line connected to a dugout pit with about 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil at Tuma and Krakrama general area of Rivers State.
The statement said the vandalism was reported to appropriate authorities, and the stolen crude was seized.
In the same vein, troops, on 15 January 2025, destroyed three Illegal Refinery Sites with 20 drums of illegally refined AGO around the Azuzuwama Okpuktuari area of Bayelsa State.
Another Illegal Refining Site, with about 2000 litres of stolen crude oil in a dugout pit, was deactivated on 17 January 2025 at the Ikputukiri camp area of the Southern Ijaw local government in Bayelsa State.
Another Illegal Refinery Site with 10 dugout pits and 1 wooden boat laden with about 2000 litres of stolen crude oil was deactivated and seized around the Tuma and Bille general area of Rivers State.
Troops seized another 30-meter wooden boat conveying stolen crude oil around the Obe-Nla Riverine community in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. The ship was laden with approximately 40,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
They also discovered a storehouse with 1500 litres of illegally refined AGO at Abalama in Rivers State.
Another illegal refining site with a large quantity of stolen crude oil was deactivated in the Otuwo area of Southern Ijaw, a local government area of Bayelsa state.
Furthermore, several Illegal Refinery Sites, including eight cooking tanks, eight metal storage tanks, two reservoirs with large quantities of illegally refined AGO, and a vandalised wellhead, were discovered and deactivated around the Ogajama area of Rivers State.
The statement said five abandoned empty wooden boats used to transport stolen crude oil were seized at the location.
A wooden boat laden with about 2,500 litres of stolen crude oil was also discovered and seized around the Tuma and Bille general area of Rivers State.
Relatedly, troops discovered another wooden boat laden with about 3000 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil, an Illegal Refinery Site, two cooking tanks, three metal storage tanks and two reservoirs at Tuma and Buguma general area of Rivers State.
In the same vein, troops destroyed several Illegal Refinery Sites, six vandalised wellheads used for siphoning crude oil, 110 ovens, 45 reservoirs with large quantities of stolen crude oil, and illegally refined AGO at Egbema West and Onne local government area of Rivers State.
Items recovered include 31,000 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil and 15,000 litres of illegally refined AGO, which were also recovered in the exact location.
The relentless troops also destroyed two Illegal Refinery Sites, with about 7,500 litres of stolen crude oil and 1,700 litres of illegally refined AGO at Obodo Omadino in Warri South-West local government area of Delta State.
Lastly, the troops deactivated an Illegal Refinery Site with about eight cooking pots, several metal storage tanks, 15 dugout pits and a reservoir containing about 3,400 litres of illegally siphoned crude oil at Kubufari community in Degema local government area of Rivers State.
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