The Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder has said that its operatives have destroyed five illegal refining sites in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Navy said the sites used for massive illegal bunkering activities in the area had 62 ovens, 21 reservoirs, and 55 dugout pits containing approximately 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
The sites also contain 83,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and 20,000 litres of refined kerosene unlawfully.
The Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Aniaku, disclosed this in a statement he signed and sent to the media in Port Harcourt on Sunday night.
Aniaku said the feat followed a recent operation against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in the area on 14th June 2025, by the NNS Pathfinder Tactical Team.
The statement reads, “On 14 June 2025, the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder successfully conducted an operation against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities within the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni general area.
“The NNS Pathfinder’s Tactical Riverine Assault Squadron Team, acting on credible intelligence, deployed personnel and assets to conduct anti-crude oil theft and illegal bunkering operations within the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni general area. During the operation, the Team discovered a newly activated illegal refining site.
“Accordingly, the team identified and dismantled five illegal refining sites with 62 ovens, 21 reservoirs and 55 dugout pits containing approximately 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 83,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and 20,000 litres of illegally refined kerosene.”
It continued, “The products were handled by anti-crude oil theft procedures. No arrests were made as the perpetrators fled upon sighting the patrol team”.
Aniaku noted that the Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, remains committed to combating crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities, which pose significant threats to the nation’s economy and energy security.