The Nigerian Navy deactivated 22 illegal refining sites and recovered over 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products between January and March 2026.
This was disclosed on Saturday, April 18, via the Navy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, detailing its Operation Delta Sentinel activities for the first quarter of 2026.
The operation covered key oil-producing states, including Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom.
Operation Delta Sentinel is an anti-crude oil theft initiative by the Nigerian Navy aimed at curbing illegal oil refining, pipeline vandalism, and related maritime crimes in the Niger Delta region.
What the Navy is saying
Under Operation Delta Sentinel, the Nigerian Navy deactivated 22 illegal refining sites within the three-month period under review.
One of the major highlights of the operation was the seizure of the vessel MV Amukpoye, which was laden with 180 tons of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, on February 13. Eight suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.
In total, 98 suspects were apprehended, while more than 98 dugout pits used for illegal refining activities were destroyed during the operations.
- The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to tackling oil theft, stating that, “Nigerian Navy will sustain efforts to eradicate crude oil theft.”
More insights
The operation led to the recovery of significant volumes of stolen petroleum products, including 204,650 litres of crude oil, over 106,150 litres of illegally refined diesel, more than 138,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), 8,000 litres of kerosene, and 700 litres of condensate.
- The recovery of 204,650 litres of stolen crude oil alongside large quantities of refined products suggests that illegal operators are not only siphoning crude but also running extensive local refining networks.
A closer look at the breakdown shows a near balance between crude and refined products recovered. This reflects a well-established value chain where stolen crude is quickly converted into usable fuels such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and kerosene, often sold at lower prices to meet local demand in riverine communities.
What you should know
The latest report follows a pattern of intensified crackdowns by the Nigerian Navy on crude oil theft and illegal refining activities across the Niger Delta.
- On April 12, Nairametrics reported that the Navy seized two vessels carrying 939 metric tons of suspected stolen crude oil valued at over N4 billion, with 26 crew members arrested.
- Earlier, on March 27, the Navy also recovered over 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and dismantled an illegal refining site in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In a related development, the Defence Headquarters disclosed that troops under Operation DELTA SAFE destroyed 101 illegal refining sites and arrested 219 suspects involved in crude oil theft in the first quarter of 2026.
