The Nigerian Navy has reported significant gains in its fight against crude oil theft and illegal refining operations in the Niger Delta, announcing the deactivation of 71 illegal refinery sites and the seizure of more than 590,000 litres of stolen petroleum products during July 2025 under Operation Delta Sanity.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the Navy said the operations, carried out across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states, dismantled over 120 dugout pits, confiscated crude oil and refined products, and arrested suspected smugglers. Oil thieves were denied about 411,400 litres of crude oil, 87,825 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 72,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), and 21,900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Among the major breakthroughs in the month was the discovery and destruction of six illegal refinery sites on July 4 in Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni areas of Rivers State, where over 66,000 litres of suspected crude oil and 40,000 litres of AGO were recovered. On July 14, three suspected smugglers were arrested in Akwa Ibom State in a wooden boat laden with 2,500 litres of PMS, allegedly bound for the Republic of Cameroon. Later in the month, operations in Delta and Bayelsa States led to the dismantling of sites containing massive storage facilities, including a single location in Biseni, Bayelsa State, with more than 250,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
Commodore Adams-Aliu stated that these successes underscore the determination of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to eradicate crude oil theft and boost Nigeria’s oil production. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) recently confirmed that the country’s output has surpassed 1.8 million barrels per day.
He affirmed that the Navy remains resolute in safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain, deterring illicit activities, and enhancing national security through sustained operations in the region.