Nigerian Navy intensifies Crackdown on Oil Theft, Records Billion-Naira Seizures Under Operation Delta Sentinel
The Nigerian Navy has recorded significant operational breakthroughs under Operation Delta Sentinel, as Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER spearheads a series of intelligence-driven offensives targeting crude oil theft and illegal refining activities across Rivers State.
Acting on credible intelligence, personnel of NNS PATHFINDER deployed anti-crude oil theft patrol teams to the Ndoni/Egbema axis, where a major illegal refining site was uncovered in Umoku, Ndoni. The site featured multiple dugout pits and locally fabricated refining ovens used for processing stolen crude oil.
Further assessment revealed approximately 708,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products—including Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK)—as well as about 310,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored in dugout pits. The recovered products are estimated at over ₦1.06 billion for refined products and about ₦288 million for crude oil. All materials were handled in line with extant operational procedures, while suspects fled upon sighting the patrol team.
In a related operation, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, supported by Nigerian Navy air assets, uncovered and deactivated multiple illegal crude oil storage sites within Allison Community in Bonny Local Government Area. The operation led to the recovery of approximately 231,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, estimated at over ₦215 million. The products were concealed in dugout pits and connected to waterways through improvised distribution systems.
Cumulatively, recent operations under Operation Delta Sentinel build on earlier successes recorded between January and March 2026, during which over 457,000 litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products—valued at more than ₦600 million—were recovered. Numerous illegal refining sites and logistics nodes were also dismantled across the Niger Delta during the period.
Complementing these inland operations, maritime interdictions have further amplified the Navy’s impact. Notably, three motor tankers—MT MKPODU, MT WESTAF, and MT STELIOS K—were arrested with over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil, equivalent to approximately 1.04 million litres, valued at over ₦967 million.
This combination of inland disruption and maritime enforcement highlights a deliberate multi-domain operational strategy aimed at dismantling the entire crude oil theft value chain while safeguarding Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.
In view of the operation’s success, 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 further clamp down on economic saboteurs.
The Nigerian Navy reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting national assets and securing the country’s economic lifelines.
