Navy Dismantles Illegal Refining Site in Rivers, Destroys Three Storage Tanks

The Nigerian Navy has dismantled an illegal refining site and destroyed three storage tanks discovered in Promise Land Community along Nanabie Creek in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, FOB Bonny, following credible intelligence that led to the discovery of the site on September 30.

Director of Naval Information, Commodore Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the development in an operational report made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

According to Folorunsho, the site contained one large cooking pot and three large storage tanks believed to have been intended for illegal refining activities.

The Commanding Officer of FOB Bonny, Captain Stanley Umeh, subsequently led a team to the location on Friday, where the illegal refining installation and associated equipment were destroyed in accordance with established regulations.

The Navy said the operation was aimed at denying criminal operators the infrastructure required to process and store stolen crude oil.

Folorunsho described the intervention as another disruption of illegal refining capacity within the Bonny area.

He said the operation followed a series of recent activities by FOB Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel, which has focused on disrupting crude oil theft and illegal refining activities within the Niger Delta.

The Navy has intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations across its area of responsibility as part of efforts to prevent criminal operators from establishing or reactivating illegal refining facilities.

The latest operation comes days after the Navy reported the discovery of about 85,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in 16 concealed dugout pits in the Allison area of Rivers State.

During that September 29 operation, four pits reportedly contained about 40,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, while three other pits contained approximately 45,000 litres believed to be awaiting processing.

The Navy said the discovery formed part of its continuing efforts to prevent the resurgence of illegal bunkering activities in the area.

Authorities have continued to target the infrastructure used by oil theft and illegal refining networks, including storage tanks, dugout pits, cooking pots and other equipment.

The Nigerian Navy said it would sustain surveillance and monitoring operations across the Bonny area to prevent the establishment of new illegal refining sites and disrupt activities connected with crude oil theft.

The latest action further highlights the ongoing security operations against illegal oil refining and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.