Solomon Aborisade
The Nigerian Navy has struck another blow against crude oil thieves, recovering 33,800 litres of petroleum products in Rivers State under Operation Delta Sentinel.
A statement issued in Abuja by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said personnel of NNS SOROH led the operation on 25 September 2026. Acting on credible intelligence, they dismantled two illegal refining sites at Ogbogolo Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Navy Captain Folorunsho said the Nigerian Navy operatives, acting on credible intelligence, discovered and deactivated two illegal refining sites at Ogbogolo Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to him, the operation led to the recovery of about twenty-eight thousand, five hundred and twenty litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and five thousand, two hundred and eighty litres of stolen crude oil, totalling thirty-three thousand, eight hundred litres of petroleum products.
Moreover, the troops also discovered forty-eight sacks, three dugout pits, two kegs and three cooking drums used for the storage and processing of the products, noting that the perpetrators fled the area on sighting naval personnel.
Navy Captain Folorunsho stated that the latest operation is part of the sustained successes recorded under Operation DELTA SENTINEL and reflects the Nigerian Navy’s strategy of persistent surveillance, intelligence-led operations and targeted disruption of the infrastructure and networks that sustain crude oil theft.
However, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has directed formations and units to maintain the pressure on these criminal networks to deny them freedom of action, protect critical oil and gas infrastructure and create a more secure operating environment for legitimate economic activities in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the Nigerian Navy will continue to leverage its maritime domain awareness capabilities, credible intelligence and collaboration with relevant security agencies and host communities to consolidate these gains.