Nigerian Navy Destroys Illegal Refinery, Arrests 37 in Niger Delta Operations
Oluwatobi Adu 
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The Nigerian Navy has dismantled a major illegal crude oil refining site and arrested 37 suspects involved in illegal mineral extraction during operations across the Niger Delta.
The actions were carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel, part of intensified efforts to curb crude oil theft and environmental sabotage in the region.
According to the Director of Naval Information, Abiodun Folorunsho in a statement on Sunday, the illegal refinery was discovered by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER during a routine patrol in the Ojekiri area of Rivers State.
The site contained about 10 dugout pits filled with approximately 45,000 litres of stolen crude oil along the Alakiri River.
“The illegal refining site and the stored crude oil were subsequently destroyed in accordance with operational procedures,” Folorunsho says, noting that suspects fled upon sighting naval personnel.
In a separate operation in Bayelsa State, officers from Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH intercepted 37 individuals engaged in illegal black sand mining at Anyama Jetty in Yenagoa.
Authorities say the suspects were caught transferring the mineral from a wooden boat onto two trucks in violation of the Bayelsa State government’s ban on such activities.
The suspects, along with seized vessels, vehicles and materials, have been handed over to Operation DOO-AKPO, a specialised state security unit, for further investigation.
The operations align with the directive of the **Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, who has ordered intensified action against oil theft, illegal bunkering and other maritime crimes.
Naval authorities say the service will continue working with local stakeholders to protect Nigeria’s maritime resources and safeguard the country’s economic lifeline.
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