The Nigerian Navy has sealed six illegal refining sites and recovered about 11,200 litres of stolen crude oil in the creeks of the Niger Delta region.
The operation, carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos, is part of the Navy’s effort to curb crude oil theft and increase Nigeria’s daily oil output.
The Commanding Officer of FOB Escravos, Navy Captain Ikenna Okoloagu, said the success came through credible intelligence under Operation Delta Sanity II.
He told journalists in Warri on Friday that the operation aligned with the directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to sustain pressure on oil thieves and other economic saboteurs.
“Following a series of coordinated operations, FOB Escravos deactivated six illegal refining sites and seized about 11,200 litres of stolen crude oil. The products were found in 28 dugout pits and six polythene sacks,” Okoloagu said.
He added that one pumping machine was also recovered during the operation.
Okoloagu explained that on October 2, 2025, naval operatives dismantled three illegal refining sites at Obodo Omadino in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. The sites contained 3,750 litres of stolen crude oil stored across 10 dugout pits and six polythene sacks.
He said two more sites were destroyed on October 4 at the same location, with 1,450 litres of stolen crude oil recovered from five dugout pits. Another two sites were dismantled on October 6, where 6,000 litres of crude were found in 13 pits.
The commanding officer said the operation supports the Federal Government’s efforts to protect national oil assets and boost crude production.
“FOB Escravos remains committed to dismantling illegal refining sites and ensuring that economic saboteurs are brought to book,” he said.
In August, the Navy also destroyed 10 illegal refining sites in a similar operation in the Niger Delta creeks.
