Navy destroys illegal refinery in Rivers, intercepts stolen petroleum products in Calabar

The Nigerian Navy has destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River State.

The crack down, according to the Director of Naval Information, Capt.Abiodun Folorunsho followed the charge by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across the nation’s maritime domain.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Folorunsho said the operations were carried out by personnel of Operation DELTA SENTINEL.

He said the illegal refinery site was uncovered at Okolomade Community, Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, a task unit under Operation DELTA SENTINEL on Saturday March 14, 2026.

He said the personnel acted on credible intelligence that a previously deactivated illegal refining site had been reactivated.

“Consequently, NNS SOROH deployed an Anti-Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team to the location, which discovered that the previously dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed. Further exploitation of the area also led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” the statement said.

Folorunsho said the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes, and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining activities, was subsequently destroyed in accordance with extant operational procedures.

In a related development, Folorunsho said personnel of NNS VICTORY intercepted stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Navy spokesman said the operatives acting on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of products from vessels berthed at the port, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the products to a trailer park within the port facility.

“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured, ” the statement said.

Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) stored in drums and jerrycans.

He said the recovered products have since been evacuated to the Base for further necessary action in accordance with extant regulations.

He reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage within Nigeria’s maritime domain.