The Nigerian Navy has taken firm action against oil theft across the Niger Delta, deactivating 71 illegal refinery sites and recovering more than 411,000 litres of stolen crude oil in a series of operations throughout July 2025.
This was made known in a statement released on August 7, 2025, by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu. According to him, three suspects were arrested in Akwa Ibom while attempting to smuggle fuel in a wooden boat loaded with 10 drums of Premium Motor Spirit.
The Navy’s actions form part of “Operation Delta Sanity,” which continues to target illegal refining activities and the broader problem of crude oil theft. The Navy described the operations as part of its effort to eliminate economic sabotage within Nigeria’s coastal and maritime zones.
In the course of their work, personnel uncovered and destroyed 120 dugout pits and illegal storage units spread across Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states. Various tools and equipment used in refining stolen crude oil were also seized.
In total, the Navy prevented thieves from accessing 411,400 litres of crude oil, 87,825 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO), 72,000 litres of kerosene (DPK), and 21,900 litres of PMS. These figures reflect the scale of illegal activity the Navy is trying to contain.
The Navy noted that its intensified crackdown has been ongoing since the relaunch of Operation Delta Sanity in December 2024. July alone saw several successful operations.
On July 4, six illegal sites were dismantled in Rivers State across Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni. The sites had 40 pits filled with 66,000 litres of crude oil and equipment including 40 ovens and 30 reservoirs holding 40,000 litres of diesel.
On July 12, a single refinery site with five pits was deactivated in Otegele, Delta State. It contained 2,300 litres of stolen crude. Then, on July 14, three individuals were arrested in Akwa Ibom with 2,500 litres of PMS, suspected to be headed for smuggling into Cameroon. That same day, another site in Obodo Omadino, Warri South West, had 7,000 litres of crude and refining materials seized.
Still on July 14, another wooden boat with 2,500 litres of PMS was intercepted along waterways in Akwa Ibom, with three more suspects arrested.
On July 16, in Peres Community of Warri South West, 9,500 litres of crude stored in 12 sacks and underground tanks were discovered. On July 19, nine dugout pits holding 4,200 litres were deactivated in the same general region.
The momentum continued on July 21 with the seizure of a pumping machine and a reservoir filled with about 10,000 litres of crude oil at Oteghele in Warri South West. Then, on July 22, in Biseni, Bayelsa State, two illegal refineries were shut down. These held a combined 200,000 litres of crude oil and more than 2,000 litres of illegally refined products.
On July 23, operations intensified in Biseni, uncovering metal ovens, six storage pits, and a large pond containing over 250,000 litres of crude oil. Additional sites in Akassa, Warri, and Ugbokodo Creek were destroyed, where more crude oil, diesel, and refining gear were found.
July 25 brought another discovery at Bennet Island, Delta State, where seven pits and sacks containing 15,000 litres of crude were cleared. On July 27, two refinery sites with 17 pits and 2,650 litres of crude, plus 1,200 litres of AGO, were found in Warri South West.
On July 28, an active site in Oteghele with 20,000 litres of crude stored in tanks and connected by hoses was shut down.
In all, 71 illegal sites were dismantled and 120 pits destroyed. The Navy said these operations disrupted the activities of oil thieves and prevented further loss of valuable national resources.
The statement credited the success to the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla and reaffirmed the Navy’s mission to fully eliminate crude oil theft. It also highlighted that Nigeria’s oil output had exceeded 1.8 million barrels per day, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, as a positive sign of progress.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to securing the nation’s maritime space, stopping illegal activities, and contributing to national economic stability.
