By Samuel Ike, Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has sustained its offensive against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities with the destruction of an illicit refining site in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The operation, carried out by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, led to the dismantling of an illegal refining facility located at Promise Land Community along the Nanabie Creek axis. The facility was discovered on 30 September 2026 following credible intelligence received by security operatives.

According to the Navy, the site contained one large cooking pot and three large storage tanks used for the processing and storage of stolen crude oil. Acting on the intelligence, the Commanding Officer of FOB Bonny, Captain S.M.C. Umeh, led a team to the location on 2 October 2026, where the illegal refining infrastructure and associated equipment were destroyed in line with operational guidelines and extant regulations.

The Navy said the operation further degraded the capacity of criminal elements engaged in illegal refining and crude oil theft within the Bonny axis, denying them critical infrastructure used to sustain their activities. The destruction of the facility is expected to reduce the processing and distribution of illegally refined petroleum products in the area.

The latest success follows a series of recent operations conducted by FOB Bonny under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, during which significant quantities of suspected stolen crude oil and several illegal refining installations were uncovered and neutralised across its area of responsibility.

Reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas assets, the Nigerian Navy said it has intensified surveillance, patrols and monitoring activities across the Niger Delta. The service pledged to sustain pressure on economic saboteurs and prevent the establishment or reactivation of illegal refining sites, while continuing to support national efforts aimed at curbing crude oil theft and safeguarding the country’s economic resources.