Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - No fewer than 22 illegal refineries were dismantled as the Nigerian Navy intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, disrupting multiple storage and distribution channels used by oil thieves in the first quarter of 2026.
The operations, conducted under Operation Delta Sentinel,
also led to the recovery of 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum
products and the arrest of 18 suspects linked to crude oil theft and other
maritime crimes.
According to the Director of Naval Information, Abiodun
Folorunsho, the operation, which commenced on 13 January 2026, replaced
Operation Delta Sanity II and is being executed through enhanced surveillance,
intelligence-led interventions and coordinated inter-agency efforts aimed at
dismantling illegal oil networks across the Niger Delta creeks and waterways.
According to operational data released by Folorunsho, the
navy carried out over 183 successful operations between January and March 2026,
targeting identified hotspots across Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, where
illegal refining activities remain prevalent despite sustained military
pressure.
A breakdown of recovered volumes shows that February
recorded the highest seizure with 360,700 litres, followed by January with
118,800 litres and March with 52,000 litres, indicating persistent illegal
activity across the region.
Key operational breakthroughs during the period included the
interception of 45,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in Rivers State
between 20 and 23 January, as well as the seizure of an 18-tonne barge on 13
February, believed to have been used for large-scale crude transportation.
In Bayelsa State, naval operatives uncovered a 96,000-litre
illegal wellhead on 23 February, described as one of the major theft points
feeding illicit refining clusters in the area.
Further operations in March intensified across multiple
locations, including Warri South-West, Oteghele Creek, Ogbe-Ijoh, Alakiri River
and the Ogbia/Egbema/Ndoni axis, where coordinated raids led to the recovery of
substantial volumes of stolen crude and refined products.
In one of the major March operations, about 45,000 litres of
crude oil were recovered at Alakiri River on 14 March, while 44,000 litres of
automotive gas oil (diesel) were intercepted at Ogbologo on 21 March, alongside
the arrest of eight suspects.
“In the First Quarter of 2026 (January-March 2026), the
Nigerian Navy, through Operational Delta Sentinel, conducted over 183
successful operations across key operational areas, resulting in the recovery
of 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and the arrest of 18
suspects linked to crude oil theft and related maritime crimes. Monthly
operational data shows that February recorded the highest recovery volume with
360,700 litres, followed by 118,800 litres in January and 52,000 litres in March,
indicating ongoing pressure on illicit oil activities. During this period,
several major operational milestones were achieved. These include the seizure
of 45,000 litres of stolen products in Rivers State between January 20 and 23;
the interception of an 18-tonne barge on 13 February 2026; the discovery of a
96,000-litre illegal wellhead in Bayelsa State on 23 February 2026; and the
recovery of 34,000 litres of various petroleum products on 5 March 2026. These
successes demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s sustained operational reach and
effectiveness across the maritime domain,” the report read.
Additional seizures across the quarter ranged from 4,000
litres to over 21,000 litres per location, with naval units also discovering
and dismantling illegal pipelines, reservoirs and makeshift storage facilities
used for syphoning crude oil from production lines.
However, despite these operations, oil theft activities have
not been completely halted, with incidents continuing across creeks and coastal
corridors, underscoring the resilience of criminal networks operating in the
region.
A significant post-quarter development also occurred in
Calabar, Cross River State, where naval personnel arrested three vessels
suspected of conveying stolen crude oil.
The vessels were intercepted following intelligence tracking
and are currently under investigation as part of ongoing efforts to expand
enforcement beyond the core Niger Delta states. A total of 26 persons were
arrested with the vessels.
The Navy said the sustained operations reflect its
commitment to degrading oil theft syndicates and protecting critical national
economic assets, especially crude oil production and export infrastructure.
It added that the destruction of illegal refineries and
seizure of vessels are progressively reducing the profitability of oil theft,
even as criminal actors continue attempts to adapt and evade detection.
“In total, at least 22 illegal refining sites, four storage
facilities, three vessels or boats, and two pipeline or wellhead connections
were dismantled or destroyed,” it was stated.
The Nigerian Navy said it will continue intelligence-led
operations across the maritime environment, while strengthening collaboration
with other security agencies to further disrupt oil theft networks and improve
national crude output.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has
also directed continued sustained operations under the Delta Sentinel framework
to ensure tighter control of Nigeria’s maritime domain.
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