Personnel of the Nigerian Navy deployed to the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Escravos, have dismantled five illegal refining sites in the creeks of the Niger Delta, in a renewed push to curb crude oil theft and protect the nation’s oil assets.
The Commanding Officer of FOB Escravos, Navy Captain Ikenna Okoloagu, disclosed the development on Tuesday in Warri, noting that the successes were achieved through a series of well-coordinated, intelligence-driven operations carried out over the past few days.
According to him, naval operatives seized approximately 13,350 litres of stolen crude oil hidden in 30 dugout pits and three large polythene sacks. He said the discovery and destruction of the sites were part of the ongoing “Operation Delta Sanity II,” which has maintained pressure on oil thieves across the region.
“These achievements align with the Strategic Directives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who has consistently emphasised sustained action against economic saboteurs,” Okoloagu said.
Giving a breakdown of the operations, the Commanding Officer explained that troops acted on actionable intelligence on November 5 and dismantled two illegal refining sites at Obodo Omadino in Warri South-West Local Government Area, where 4,000 litres of stolen crude were found in 12 dugout pits.
Further raids on November 14 and November 19 led to the deactivation of three more sites in the same community, with an additional 9,150 litres of crude oil uncovered across several storage pits and polythene sacks.
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Okoloagu stressed that FOB Escravos remains committed to dismantling illegal refining infrastructure and protecting Nigeria’s petroleum resources from criminal networks. He noted that the sustained push is vital to improving Nigeria’s crude oil production and combating the huge economic losses caused by vandalism and theft.
The latest operations complement recent efforts by the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, which earlier this month arrested 14 suspected oil thieves and dismantled 14 illegal refineries while seizing more than 20,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
The Navy assured that raids across hotspot locations in the Niger Delta would continue until criminal networks are completely disrupted and national assets fully secured.