By Kingsley Omonobi

The Nigerian Navy has disrupted two illegal refining sites and recovered approximately 58,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State.

The operation was conducted by NNS Pathfinder, a unit under Operation Delta Sentinel, at Okarki Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state on October 3, 2026.

The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the operation followed credible intelligence on suspected crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the area.

According to him, the naval team discovered nine dugout pits, storage containers and sacks containing the suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined products at the sites.

“The sites contained nine dugout pits, storage containers and sacks laden with the suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined products,” he said.

Folorunsho said the operation also disrupted the supply chain used by suspected criminal operators to store and process stolen petroleum resources.

“The intervention further denied criminal operators access to facilities used to store and process stolen petroleum resources, disrupting the supply chain supporting illegal refining in the area,” he said.

He added that the two illegal refining sites and recovered products were handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

No arrest was made during the operation, as the suspected operators reportedly fled before the arrival of the naval team.