By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta, recovering about 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and dismantling 12 illegal refineries in the first quarter of 2026.
The operations, conducted under Operation Delta Sentinel, also led to the destruction of four illegal storage facilities, three wooden boats and two illegal wellhead and pipeline connections linked to oil theft activities across the region.
Operational records obtained by our correspondent indicated that naval personnel carried out coordinated raids on several illegal refining camps located within creeks and coastal communities notorious for crude oil theft and related economic sabotage.
During the operations, large quantities of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), crude oil and other petroleum products were intercepted, while refining equipment and associated infrastructure were destroyed.
According to the report covering January to March 2026, the Navy recorded total recoveries of 531,500 litres of stolen and illegally refined petroleum products during the period.
A monthly breakdown of the recoveries showed that 118,800 litres were recovered in January, while February accounted for the highest volume with 360,700 litres. In March, naval operatives recovered an additional 52,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
The report further revealed that the Navy conducted 183 successful operations across the Niger Delta within the quarter, resulting in the arrest of 18 suspects linked to crude oil theft and other maritime crimes.
Among the major seizures recorded were the recovery of 45,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in Rivers State between January 20 and 23, the seizure of an 18-tonne barge in February, and the destruction of a 96,000-litre illegal wellhead in Bayelsa State during the same month.
The Navy disclosed that separate operations carried out in May, outside the period under review, yielded additional recoveries of 85,000 litres of crude oil and 78,000 litres of AGO.
A comparison with corresponding figures from 2025 showed a slight increase in petroleum product recoveries in 2026. Operational data also indicated that crude oil theft declined by 58 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, dropping from about 12,000 barrels per day to approximately 5,000 barrels per day.
However, the Navy did not disclose the estimated monetary value of the recovered products and destroyed facilities.
Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said suspects arrested during the operations would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
He reiterated the commitment of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to sustaining the campaign against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, stressing that such criminal activities continue to threaten Nigeria’s economy and environment.
Folorunsho warned individuals and groups involved in crude oil theft and illegal refining to abandon the illicit trade or face the full weight of the law.
