In a sweeping series of operations under Operation DELTA SANITY, the Nigerian Navy has recorded impressive gains in the fight against crude oil theft and illegal refining across the Niger-Delta. Throughout the month of July 2025, the Navy successfully deactivated over 71 illegal refinery sites and disrupted criminal activities across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States.
The renewed operation, relaunched in December 2024, aims to curb illegal bunkering, smuggling and other maritime crimes that have long plagued Nigeria’s oil-producing region.
In a statement released by the Director of Information, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the Navy detailed its operations, listing a series of coordinated raids and seizures that led to the discovery and destruction of illegal refinery infrastructure and the arrest of suspected oil thieves.
He said that the Oil thieves were denied about 411,400 litres of crude oil, 87,825 litres of illegally refined AGO, 72,000 litres of DPK, and 21,900 litres of PMS. These significant successes underscore the resilience of the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla.
Key Highlights from July 2025 Operations Include:
July 4 (Rivers State): Six illegal refinery sites discovered around Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni with 66,000 litres of crude oil and 40,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
July 12 (Delta State): One refinery site deactivated in Otegele with 2,300 litres of stolen crude oil.
July 14 (Akwa Ibom): Three suspected smugglers arrested attempting to smuggle 2,500 litres of PMS to Cameroon via wooden boat.
July 16–23 (Delta & Bayelsa): Massive operations in Warri South West, Biseni, and Akassa areas, with seizures of over 250,000 litres of crude oil in a single location.
July 27–28 (Delta State): Active refinery sites deactivated in Omadino, Bennet Island, and Oteghele with tens of thousands of litres of stolen crude oil uncovered.
In total, the Navy neutralized 120 dugout pits, several metal ovens, pumping machines and underground reservoirs used in these illegal operations.
The Navy also reported that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) confirmed a rise in the country’s crude oil production, which recently exceeded 1.8 million barrels per day (mpd) a boost partially attributed to the Navy’s ongoing anti-theft initiatives.
Commodore A. Adams-Aliu reiterated that the Nigerian Navy remains steadfast in its mission to ensure maritime safety, deter illicit activities and uphold national security within the nation’s maritime domain.
