The Nigerian Navy has struck a heavy blow against crude oil thieves in Rivers State, uncovering and completely destroying five massive illegal refineries in a recent high-impact operation.
According to a statement by Commodore Cajethan Aniaku, who commands the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, the operation was carried out on June 14, 2025, deep within the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni area.
Acting on solid intelligence, the Navy’s Tactical Riverine Assault Team stormed the area and stumbled upon a newly activated illegal refining site.
What they found was staggering: 62 crude oil-processing ovens, 21 massive reservoirs, and 55 huge dugout pits together containing an estimated 50,000 litres of stolen crude oil, 83,000 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO), and another 20,000 litres of smuggled kerosene.
Before the Navy could move in to make arrests, all the criminals involved in the illegal operation vanished into the surrounding area, fleeing the scene the moment they spotted the patrol team.
No suspects were captured, but the stolen and refined products were properly handled and neutralised in line with anti-crude oil theft protocols.
Commodore Aniaku emphasised that the Navy, under the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, is leaving no stone unturned in the battle against oil theft, which continues to drain Nigeria’s economy and threaten its energy security.
