The Nigerian Navy has disrupted two illegal refining sites and recovered approximately 53,000 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at Okarki Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The operation, conducted on November 11, 2026, by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, followed credible intelligence on illegal petroleum activities in the area.
The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, saying the operation uncovered about eight dugout pits and storage containers containing an estimated 23,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 30,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
He said the recovered products and facilities were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, adding that no arrests were made as the suspected operators fled before the arrival of the naval team.
According to the statement, the operation builds on an earlier raid conducted by NNS PATHFINDER in the same general area on October 10, 2026, during which three illegal refining sites were discovered and deactivated.
The Navy said the successive operations underscored its determination to dismantle illegal refining infrastructure, disrupt crude oil theft networks and deny economic saboteurs access to the nation’s petroleum resources.
It reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure, support national crude oil production and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests.