The Nigerian Navy has recorded another operational success in its ongoing crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining, with the discovery of three suspected illegal refining sites, six reservoirs and approximately 99,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The products were recovered during separate operations in Rivers and Delta States by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH and NNS DELTA on August 31, 2026, following credible intelligence on suspected illegal petroleum activities.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operations also uncovered illegal refining infrastructure, including a large refining oven, storage facilities and dugout reservoirs containing suspected stolen crude oil.
Folorunsho said the combined discoveries represented a significant disruption to illicit petroleum activities, particularly the storage and processing infrastructure used to sustain the illegal trade.
“The identified sites, facilities and recovered products were appropriately handled in accordance with established procedures. The latest successes demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s ability to maintain pressure across multiple operational areas while denying criminal networks the infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft and illegal refining activities,” he said.