The team also intercepted a silver Toyota Camry suspected of conveying illegally refined petroleum products.
He said such networks serve as critical links between illegal refining camps and end users.
He said the site also showed clear indications of recent crude oil theft activity.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations.
The naval spokesperson said that the arrest followed a joint intelligence-led operation.
About 260,000 litres of products suspected to be crude oil and 405,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were discovered across the site.
The Nigerian Navy dismantled an illegally reconstructed refining cluster along the Rivers–Bayelsa border, recovering about 8,500 litres of suspected petroleum products.
According to him, the suspects fled on sighting naval personnel.
The Nigerian Navy says it conducted over 183 operations and recovered 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in the first quarter of 2026.
The Nigerian Navy has intercepted about 44,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products and arrested eight suspects in Rivers.
