The Nigerian Navy has deactivated an illegal refinery in the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State and recovered more than 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

This is contained in a statement by the acting director of naval information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, on Friday.

Mr Folorunsho said the operation was carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, Eastern Naval Command.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence on illegal refining activities in Allison Community, Bonny.

Mr Folorunsho said an anti-crude oil theft patrol team was deployed to the area, leading to the discovery of an active illegal refining site.

He said the site contained dugout pits, locally fabricated cooking and cooling systems, and sacks filled with substances suspected to be stolen crude oil.

“Further assessment revealed over 20,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil stored at the facility.

“The illegal refining infrastructure was dismantled in line with established operational procedures, while the perpetrators fled on sighting the naval team,” he said.

Mr Folorunsho said the success underscored the Nigerian Navy’s sustained efforts to curb crude oil theft and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.

He added that the operation aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify intelligence-driven operations to safeguard critical oil infrastructure.

Mr Folorunsho noted that such efforts were also geared towards supporting the federal government’s target of achieving 2.5 million barrels per day oil production.

(NAN)