By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Illegal Crude oil refinery |
The Nigerian Navy has dealt a major blow to oil thieves, dismantling 71 illegal refineries and confiscating over 411,000 litres of stolen crude oil in a sweeping July 2025 operation.
The crackdown, part of Operation Delta Sanity, targeted economic saboteurs across the Niger Delta, disrupting a multi-million-dollar black-market oil trade.
According to a Navy operational update released on Friday, the month-long raid led to the destruction of 120 dugout pits, illegal storage tanks, and refining equipment in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom States. Troops also seized 87,825 litres of illegally refined diesel, 72,000 litres of kerosene, and 21,900 litres of petrol, significantly disrupting the supply chain of stolen petroleum products.
One of the largest busts occurred on July 4, when Navy operatives uncovered illegal refining sites in Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni (Rivers State), recovering 66,000 litres of stolen crude and 40,000 litres of diesel. Just days later, on July 14, smugglers attempting to transport crude oil to Cameroon were intercepted in Akwa Ibom, while hidden underground reservoirs were uncovered in Delta State.
In a decisive strike on July 22 and 23, the Navy raided Biseni Community in Bayelsa, dismantling two large-scale illegal refineries and recovering 450,000 litres of crude oil. Additionally, six suspected smugglers were arrested, and multiple wooden boats loaded with stolen petroleum products were seized. The operation has been hailed as a critical step in Nigeria’s fight against oil theft.
The Navy’s efforts align with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)’s recent report of improved crude oil production. By disrupting illegal refining networks, the military has helped safeguard the nation’s economy, ensuring more revenue from legitimate oil exports. Authorities vow to sustain the offensive until oil theft is completely eradicated.
(NAN)