Nigerian Navy Deactivates Major Illegal Refinery in Bonny Recovery Operation Amidst National Production Surge

Nigerian Navy recovers 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil and dismantles an illegal refining site in Rivers State under Operation Delta Sentinel.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 11:13 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Naval Intervention Targets Illicit Refining Infrastructure in Rivers State

The Nigerian Navy has successfully deactivated a large scale illegal refinery located within the Bonny Local Government Area, marking a significant victory for Operation Delta Sentinel. Acting Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, confirmed on Friday that the raid targeted a facility in the Allison Community. This strategic strike resulted in the dismantling of numerous dugout pits and locally fabricated cooling systems, effectively neutralizing a major hub for the processing of stolen petroleum products in the Eastern Naval Command's jurisdiction.

Intelligence Led Deployment Results in Significant Crude Oil Recovery

The success of this mission was attributed to the utilization of credible intelligence which allowed the Forward Operating Base in Bonny to deploy a specialized anti crude oil theft patrol team. Upon arrival, the naval personnel discovered an active site containing vast quantities of raw materials. Assessment of the facility revealed over 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, much of which was stored in industrial grade sacks and hidden within the site’s infrastructure. The rapid deployment of the naval team forced the operators to abandon the facility immediately upon sighting the military craft.

Technical Dismantling of Sophisticated Local Extraction Systems

According to naval reports, the site was equipped with advanced locally engineered hardware designed to mimic industrial distillation processes. The patrol team moved to destroy several cooking systems and cooling units that were integral to the illegal conversion of crude into finished fuels. This tactical dismantling was carried out in strict accordance with established operational procedures, ensuring that the site could not be easily reactivated by criminal elements. The removal of this hardware significantly disrupts the local supply chain for black market fuel in the Niger Delta region.