Over 400,000 litres of stolen crude oil were seized by the Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sanity II across the Niger Delta in March 2025.
Also, more than 30 illegal refinery sites were dismantled and several suspects linked to arms smuggling and oil bunkering were equally arrested by the operatives.
According to a statement on Friday by the Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the service’s offensive, which spanned across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Ondo States, dealt a heavy blow to the illicit oil economy threatening Nigeria’s environmental and economic stability.
In one of the most remarkable operations carried out on March 25, he said a large wooden boat loaded with about 100,000 litres of crude oil was intercepted around the Egbessan oilfield in Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State.
Just two days later, on March 27, Adams-Aliu added that a massive bust around Ndoni, Ogba, Ohaji and Egbema West in Rivers State uncovered eight illegal refinery sites, four vandalised wellheads, 40 ovens, 30 reservoirs, and 50 dugout pits, containing over 110,000 litres of various illegally refined products including AGO, kerosene, and crude oil.
“On Sunday 9 March 2025, a seagoing vessel, MFT Olokun VIII with IMO Registration N0: 8778275 was arrested around Saint Nicholas River in Bayelsa State with illegal arms and ammunition onboard. The arms included 1 G3 Rifle, 1 pump action
gun, 20 x rounds of 7.62/51mm ammunition and 7 x live cartridges. Two suspects linked to the illegal firearms were also arrested and will face prosecution.
“On Monday 10 March 2025, three Illegal Refinery Sites, 3 ovens, 7 dugout pits, 8 sacks with 3,700 litres of crude oil, 23 polythene sacks with 1,900 litres of illegally refined AGO were discovered and deactivated around Obodo Omadino in Warri, South West Local Government Area, Delta State,” the statement added.
He also said between March 7 and 31, the Navy deactivated scores of illicit refining camps in Obodo Omadino, Warri South-West, seizing cooking ovens, pumping machines, sacks of refined AGO, and thousands of litres of crude oil.
Adams-Aliu said the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to supporting national economic recovery by securing the oil-rich waterways.
He said the successes of Operation DELTA SANITY II align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to bolster crude oil production and clamp down on oil theft, a major drain on national revenue.
“The Nigerian Navy will continue to intensify its operations in support of Nigeria’s economic activities,” he quoted Ogall as saying.