Nigerian Navy dismantles illegal refinery in Delta, vows zero tolerance for oil theft

The Nigerian Navy has reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance stance against oil theft, illegal refining, and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta region.

Commodore Abdulazeez Zubairu of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta gave the assurance during the destruction of a major illegal crude oil refining site uncovered in the creeks of Delta State.

He revealed that a team of 14 naval operatives, deployed aboard two gunboats and a speedboat, stormed the site following credible intelligence.

“Acting on reliable intel, our men advanced to coordinates 5.381734⁰N and 5.587105⁰E within the Obotebe mangrove creeks in Burutu Local Government Area, where they discovered a large-scale illegal crude oil processing camp,” Zubairu said.

The site, believed to be one of several operated by oil thieves in the area, was immediately dismantled and destroyed. Items recovered included a 1.5 horsepower Yamaha engine, a generator, six pumping machines, and two rolls of industrial hoses.

Zubairu stated that the operation was carried out under Operation Delta Sanity II, a strategic anti-oil theft campaign initiated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

“This latest operation reflects our ongoing efforts to enforce maritime security and protect national assets. The era of unchecked crude oil theft is over. We are dismantling these criminal networks one site at a time,” he said.

He urged host communities to cooperate with the Navy by rejecting oil theft and providing timely intelligence, stressing the environmental and economic damage caused by such illegal activities.

Zubairu added that photographic and video evidence of the destroyed site had been secured for documentation, and surveillance is ongoing to track and arrest those behind the operation.

“With this development, the Nigerian Navy continues to tighten its grip on criminal elements sabotaging Nigeria’s oil infrastructure in the region,” he added.