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The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a concealed illegal fuel storage site in Rivers State, recovering approximately 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, as part of its ongoing Operation Delta Sentinel.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, who said the discovery was made by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder during ongoing operations against crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering within its area of operation.
Operation Delta Sentinel is the Nigerian Navy’s anti-crude oil theft campaign aimed at dismantling illegal refining operations, disrupting oil theft networks, and protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure across the Niger Delta.
What the Navy is saying
According to the statement, personnel of the Base Anti-Crude Oil Theft Team confirmed that the concealed storage site contained 125 sacks loaded with products suspected to be illegally refined AGO.
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- “The Nigerian Navy has sustained the operational momentum of Operation DELTA SENTINEL with the discovery of a concealed illegal fuel storage site containing approximately 11,800 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Rivers State,” the statement reads in part.
The Navy said that the operation uncovered another covert storage location believed to have been used by criminal networks to stockpile illegally refined petroleum products before distributing them to buyers.
The service said the discovery highlights the continued efforts of oil theft syndicates to sustain the illicit fuel trade across the Niger Delta through concealed logistics and storage infrastructure.
It added that the recovered petroleum products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, effectively denying economic saboteurs another logistics hub supporting illegal petroleum activities.
By targeting concealed storage facilities and disrupting supply networks, the service noted that it is degrading the operational capacity of criminal syndicates while safeguarding Nigeria’s critical economic assets.
Reaffirming its commitment, the Navy stated that it would continue intelligence-driven operations under Operation Delta Sentinel to combat crude oil theft, disrupt illicit petroleum distribution networks and protect the nation’s maritime environment.
Get up to speed
The latest recovery adds to a series of successful operations carried out by the Nigerian Navy in Rivers State under Operation Delta Sentinel.
- Just three days ago, Nairametrics reported that the Navy uncovered and dismantled an illegal crude oil storage facility in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering about 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in concealed dugout pits.
The operation followed several other interceptions in recent weeks, including the recovery of 22,870 litres, 63,290 litres, and 103,500 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products during separate operations targeting crude oil theft networks across the state.
What you should know
Operation Delta Sentinel remains the Nigerian Navy’s flagship anti-crude oil theft operation aimed at dismantling illegal refining sites, disrupting illicit petroleum supply chains and protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure across the Niger Delta.
- Earlier this year, the Navy deactivated 22 illegal refining sites and recovered more than 457,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products during operations conducted between January and March 2026 across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
The service also intercepted two vessels carrying 939 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil valued at over N4 billion, leading to the arrest of 26 crew members.
The Navy has consistently maintained that its strategy is to dismantle the infrastructure sustaining crude oil theft—including illegal refining sites, storage facilities and distribution networks—in order to weaken the operational capacity of criminal syndicates operating in the Niger Delta.
