By Tonye Apiri
The Nigerian Navy says it has shut down nine illegal refineries and impounded an estimated 104,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil during a raid in Bonny LGA, Rivers State.
According to a statement released on the Navy’s official X account on Thursday, the exercise was conducted by troops of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Bonny as part of Operation DELTA SENTINEL. It was based on credible intelligence.
The operation focused on Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities where the Navy said it uncovered hidden refining structures being used by suspected crude oil thieves.
During the raid, personnel found 23 dugout pits spread across the nine sites. Eighteen of the pits held about 104,000 litres of product believed to be stolen crude. The remaining five pits had just been dug and were destroyed before they could be used for refining.
The Navy also seized eight locally made refining drums and three big storage tanks, which it said dealt a blow to the operations of the suspected oil theft network.
The statement noted that all the illegal facilities and the recovered products were dealt with according to standard procedures for tackling crude oil theft.
The Navy added that the raid reaffirms its resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s oil and gas assets and to sustain the fight against oil theft in the Niger Delta.