The Nigerian Navy has dismantled two illegal refining sites in Okarki community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering an estimated 53,000 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products.
The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER, was conducted on Wednesday under Operation Delta Sentinel following intelligence on illegal petroleum activities in the area.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
He said the naval team discovered about eight dugout pits and storage containers containing approximately 23,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 30,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
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According to him, the illegal facilities and recovered products were handled in accordance with established procedures for combating crude oil theft.
Folorunsho, however, said no arrests were made as the suspected operators fled before the naval personnel arrived at the sites.
He described the operation as part of the Navy’s sustained efforts to dismantle illegal refining infrastructure and disrupt networks responsible for stealing the country’s petroleum resources.
The latest operation follows an earlier raid by NNS PATHFINDER in the same general area on October 10, 2026, during which three illegal refining sites were discovered and deactivated.
Folorunsho said the successive operations demonstrated the Navy’s determination to deny economic saboteurs access to Nigeria’s petroleum resources.
He added that the Navy would continue intelligence-led operations to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure, support crude oil production and safeguard the nation’s economic interests.
