The Nigerian Navy has destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site in Okolomade Community, Abua Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.

The operation was carried out on Saturday, 14 March 2026, by Nigerian Navy Ship Soroh, a task unit under Operation Delta Sentinel. Acting on credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refinery had been reactivated, the naval team deployed an Anti Crude Oil Theft unit to the location for verification and enforcement.

During the operation, personnel discovered that the illegal refining oven which had earlier been dismantled had been reconstructed. Further search of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of a product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil.

The illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for the illicit activity, was subsequently destroyed in line with established operational procedures.

The Nigerian Navy stated that the successful operation aligns with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, who has tasked naval units to intensify operations against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

The Service reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the momentum of Operation Delta Sentinel through intelligence driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal refining networks and safeguarding the nation’s critical oil infrastructure.

Photographs from the operation have been attached for public information and media dissemination.