Navy Seizes 593,125 Litres Of Crude Oil, Shuts 71 Illegal Refineries

On Thursday, the Nigerian Navy announced the seizure of 593,125 litres of petroleum products under Operation DELTA SANITY from oil thieves in July 2025.

A breakdown showed the recovery of 411,400 litres of crude oil, 87,825 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 72,000 litres of DPK and 21,900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The Navy said the operation was conducted in Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states, with the most seizures/occurrences of theft recovered in Delta State during the period under review.

According to the Navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Adams Aliu, “six alleged oil thieves were arrested, and over 71 illegal refinery sites with 120 dug-out pits were also deactivated.”

Further breakdown revealed that the Navy on Friday, July 4, deactivated six illegal refinery sites around Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni communities in Rivers State.

The sites comprised “40 dugout pits with approximately 66,000 litres of suspected crude oil, 40 ovens, and 30 reservoirs holding about 40,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.”

On Saturday, July 12, one illegal refinery site with five dugout pits containing about 2,300 litres of stolen crude oil was deactivated at Otegele, Delta State.

On Monday, 14 July 2025, three suspected smugglers were arrested in Akwa Ibom State in a wooden boat laden with ten drums (approximately 2,500 litres) of PMS.

Aliu said investigations revealed the products were intended for “smuggling into the Republic of Cameroon, with the suspects and products seized and handed over to relevant authorities”.

He continued, “On Monday, July 14, an underground reservoir with connected pipes, dugout pits, and buckets containing approximately 7,000 litres of crude oil, along with polythene bags, was discovered and deactivated around Obodo Omadino, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.”

Same day a wooden boat with ten drums (approximately 2,500 litres) of PMS was seized and “three suspected smugglers arrested along Agbani axis, Mbendoro, Effiat I & II, Okposo river entrances in Akwa Ibom State.”

In Peres community, Warri, the troops on Wednesday, July 16, discovered an underground reservoir with connected pipes and 12 sacks containing 9,500 litres of suspected stolen Crude Oil, along with buckets and polythene bags were seized.

He said, “One illegal Refinery Site and nine dugout pits, containing about 4,200 litres of crude oil were deactivated around Otegele in Obodo Omadino, Warri South West LGA, Delta State were confiscated on Saturday, July 19.”

On Monday, 21 July, many dugout pits, one pumping machine connected to an underground reservoir with 10 sacks containing approximately 10,000 litres of suspected crude oil, and 2 buckets were discovered and seized at Oteghele in Amadino community, Warri South West LGA, Delta State.

At Biseni Community, Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, 22 July, two illegal refinery sites were deactivated.

The sites had about “200,000 litres of stolen crude oil, one pumping machine, and about 2,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and DPK, as well as a network of galvanised pipes and hoses used for siphoning and distribution.”

A follow-up operation on Wednesday, July 23, led to the discovery and deactivation of “Seven metal ovens, six storage pits, and a large pond containing over 250,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Biseni Community Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa State.”

Also on 23 July 2025, “An illegal refinery site with 300 litres of crude oil, several drums, 3 dugout pits, and 2 reservoirs was deactivated along Isonogbene and Otuogbene in the Akassa general area of Bayelsa State.”

On the same day, “Two active illegal refinery sites, & dugout pits containing about 2,500 litres of crude oil, and ten polythene sacks with approximately 3,000 litres of illegally refined AGO were discovered and deactivated in Obodo Omadino, Warri South West LGA, Delta State.”

Aliu also said, “An abandoned illegal refinery site comprising one oven and five dugout pits with about 13,000 litres of crude oil was discovered and deactivated around Ugbokodo Creek and Christian Village in Warri South LGA, Delta State.”

Still in Delta, seven dugout pits, one drum, and five sacks containing approximately 15,000 litres of suspected crude oil were discovered and deactivated at Bennet Island within Bokodo Community on Friday, July 25.

Aliyu revealed that two active illegal refinery sites, 17 dugout pits with about 2,650 litres of crude oil, and 16 polythene sacks containing 1,200 litres of illegally refined AGO were discovered and appropriately deactivated at Obodo Omadino, Delta State.

While one active illegal refinery site with tanks, containing about 20,000 litres of crude oil, and an underground reservoir connected with hoses was discovered and deactivated at Oteghele Community in Omadino, Delta State.

He noted that the milestone underscores “the Navy’s resilience under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to completely eradicate crude oil theft.”

Aliu revealed that “the Navy was also mandated to contribute to improving Nigeria’s oil production.”

He commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)’s recent feat of exceeding 1.8mpd, noting that the Navy remains steadfast in its mission to ensure maritime safety, deter illicit activities, and uphold national security within the nation’s maritime domain.