Nigerian Navy Busts Billion-Naira Oil Theft Rings Under Operation Delta Sentinel
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its offensive against crude oil theft under Operation Delta Sentinel, recording major operational successes across multiple domains and disrupting illegal activities worth billions of naira in Rivers State.
Leading the operations, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER conducted a series of intelligence-driven raids targeting large-scale illegal refining and crude oil storage facilities in the Ndoni/Egbema axis.
During one of the operations in Umoku, Ndoni, naval personnel uncovered a major illegal refining site consisting of several dugout pits and locally fabricated refining ovens used for processing stolen crude oil. An assessment of the site revealed about 708,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products, including Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene, as well as approximately 310,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in pits.
The recovered products were valued at over ₦1.06 billion for refined products and about ₦288 million for crude oil. Suspects fled the scene upon sighting the patrol team, while the products were handled in line with established operational procedures.
In a related development, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, with support from Nigerian Navy air assets, uncovered and dismantled multiple illegal crude oil storage sites in the Allison Community of Bonny Local Government Area. The operation led to the recovery of about 231,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil valued at over ₦215 million, concealed in dugout pits and connected to waterways through improvised distribution systems.
These latest achievements build on earlier successes recorded between January and March 2026, during which the Navy recovered more than 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, valued at over ₦600 million, and deactivated several illegal refining sites and logistics networks across the Niger Delta.
Beyond inland operations, the Navy also recorded significant breakthroughs at sea. Notably, three vessels—Motor Tankers MKPODU, WESTAF, and STELIOS K—were arrested with over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil, equivalent to approximately 1.04 million litres, estimated at over ₦967 million.
The combined inland and maritime operations highlight a coordinated multi-domain strategy by the Nigerian Navy aimed at dismantling the entire crude oil theft value chain and protecting the nation’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.
In response to the impact of the operation, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved a 90-day extension of Operation Delta Sentinel to sustain operational momentum and intensify the crackdown on economic saboteurs.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining pressure on criminal networks and safeguarding Nigeria’s economic interests through the protection of vital oil assets.
