The Nigerian Navy’s Operation Delta Sanity II achieved significant milestones in January 2025, dismantling multiple illegal refining sites, arresting suspects, and seizing large quantities of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products.
According to Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, Director of Naval Information, key operations included:
January 6 & 7 – Seizure of 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Rivers State and the deactivation of nine illegal refinery sites with 20,000 litres of stolen crude in Ondo State.
January 10 & 11 – Interception of illegally refined PMS in Akwa Ibom and the raid of a militant camp in Bayelsa, leading to the arrest of two suspected kidnappers and seizure of weapons.
January 12–15 – Discovery of a vandalized flow line with 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Rivers and the neutralization of three illegal refineries in Bayelsa.
January 17–19 – Deactivation of multiple illegal refining sites, including one in Rivers with 10 dugout pits and a 30-meter boat carrying 40,000 litres of stolen crude in Ondo.
January 20–23 – Seizures in Rivers and Bayelsa, including 1,500 litres of illegally refined AGO and the dismantling of an illegal refinery with 3,000 litres of siphoned crude.
January 27–28 – A major operation in Rivers saw the destruction of six vandalized wellheads, 110 ovens, and 45 reservoirs filled with stolen crude and AGO. Additional raids in Delta and Rivers led to the seizure of 31,000 litres of crude oil and 15,000 litres of AGO.
These operations reaffirm the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to eradicating crude oil theft and maritime crimes. Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, emphasized that the Navy will sustain its aggressive stance against illegal activities in Nigeria’s waterways.
