Navy destroys 12 illegal refineries seizes 531500 litres of crude
The Nigerian Navy says it has dismantled 12 illegal refineries and recovered 531500 litres of stolen and illegally refined petroleum products in the first quarter of 2026. The operations were carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel, the new maritime security effort that replaced Operation Delta Sanity II in the Niger Delta. Director of Naval Information Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho said troops also arrested 18 suspects linked to crude oil theft and related maritime crimes between January and March. He explained that the operation includes enhanced surveillance, better intelligence sharing and a quarterly review system to keep pressure on oil thieves. According to him, February recorded the highest haul with 360700 litres recovered, followed by 118800 litres in January and 52000 litres in March, showing continued activity by illegal refiners despite sustained patrols. Key successes listed by the Navy include the […]
