Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Navy has struck a major blow against oil theft in the Niger Delta, intercepting two newly constructed illegal refining camps before they could become operational in the Promise Land area of Bonny Local Government Area in Rivers State. The operation, conducted under the ongoing Operation Delta Sentinel, foiled an attempt by suspected economic saboteurs to establish fresh infrastructure for the processing and transportation of stolen crude oil, the Navy confirmed on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
The raid followed credible intelligence reports of suspicious activities around the adjoining creeks and waterways. An anti‑crude oil theft patrol team launched a coordinated reconnaissance mission, while aerial surveillance exposed concealed refining equipment buried under thick vegetation. A subsequent ground assessment confirmed the presence of two freshly built refining camps, strategically positioned close to the river channel. According to the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the sites contained improvised cooking pots, interconnected pipe networks, and other support infrastructure, clearly prepared for the processing and movement of illegally refined petroleum products. Though the operators were still in the early stages of setting up, the camps suggested a clear plan to create a new illegal refining cluster before full‑scale operations could begin.
Both illegal refining sites were dismantled on the spot in line with standard operational procedures. The Navy has since intensified monitoring of the location to prevent any renewed activities. Captain Folorunsho emphasised that the operation demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s increasing focus on proactive disruption, hitting criminal networks before they can fully establish their operational capacity. “Current operations under Operation Delta Sentinel remain focused on identifying emerging hotspots, denying criminal expansion, and restricting the ability of oil theft syndicates to regenerate within the Niger Delta,” he stated.
The Bonny operation is part of a far larger campaign. Since Operation Delta Sentinel was launched in mid‑January 2026, succeeding Operation Delta Sanity II, the Navy has conducted over 183 successful operations across key Niger Delta states, resulting in the recovery of 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and the arrest of 18 suspects, according to a Q1 report. Key milestones include the seizure of 45,000 litres of stolen products in Rivers State (January), the interception of an 18‑tonne barge (February 13), the discovery of a 96,000‑litre illegal wellhead in Bayelsa State (February 23), and the recovery of 34,000 litres (March 5).
In March, naval operations intensified across Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, particularly around the Warri South‑West, Oteghele Creek, Ogbologo, and the Ogbia/Egbema/Ndoni axis. At least 12 illegal refinery sites, 4 storage facilities, 3 vessels, and 2 wellhead or pipeline connections were destroyed during the quarter. Intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance and inter‑agency coordination are being expanded, while the Navy has also extended the operation by 90 days to sustain pressure on oil theft networks.
The crackdown has not been limited to land‑based camps. Military authorities have also intercepted three vessels—MKPODU, WESTAF and STELIOS K—carrying over 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil, estimated at about 1.04 million litres and valued at over N967 million, a recovery eventually brought into the public account.
Captain Folorunsho reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to protecting critical national assets, adding that the service remains determined to shield the nation’s oil infrastructure from economic sabotage. The Nigerian Navy will continue to conduct intelligence‑led operations, strengthen inter‑agency cooperation, and deploy advanced surveillance tools to cut off the supply chain that sustains illegal bunkering.
As local and international partners continue to monitor maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, the sight of newly established illegal camps being dismantled at such an early stage sends an unmistakable message: the days of easy oil theft are coming to an end. Yet, the fact that the Navy had to disrupt an attempt to open a new refining cluster also serves as a sharp reminder that the battle is far from over.
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