Personnel of the Nigerian Navy attached to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos have destroyed a total of 10 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta creeks.
This forms part of ongoing efforts to boost Nigeria’s daily crude oil output and combat economic sabotage.
The Commanding Officer of the FOB Escravos, Navy Capt Ikenna Okoloagu, disclosed this in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday.
He noted that the feat marked significant operational successes in the fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and related illicit activities in the Niger Delta.
According to the Commanding Officer, the exploits recorded under the ongoing Operation Delta Sanity II, ‘were made possible through credible intelligence and in alignment with the strategic directives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, which emphasised sustained pressure on economic saboteurs.
Okoloagu promised that FOB Escravos remained unwavering in its commitment to dismantling illegal refining infrastructure and safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets against economic sabotage.
‘Specifically, on 1 July 2025, operatives acting on actionable intelligence dismantled three illegal refining sites at Obodo Omadino, Warri South-West LGA, Delta State.
‘The sites contained 7,200 litres of stolen crude oil and 1,575 litres of illegally refined AGO stored across one oven, 30 dugout pits and 21 polythene sacks.
‘Subsequently, on 12 July 2025, one additional site was dismantled at Oteghele, also within Obodo Omadino, leading to the recovery of 2,300 litres of stolen crude oil stored in five dugout pits.
‘In a follow-up operation on 19 July 2025, another illegal refining site with one pumping machine was uncovered and dismantled at Oteghele, with an estimated 4,200 litres of stolen crude oil recovered from nine dugout pits.
‘Maintaining the momentum on 23 July 2025, the Base deactivated two active illegal refining sites laden with 2,300 litres of stolen crude oil and 2,675 litres of illegally refined AGO stored in 19 dug-out pits and 10 polythene sacks at Obodo Omadino,” he said.
Okoloagu added, ‘In the same vein, two illegal refining sites were uncovered and deactivated on 27 July 2025, at Obodo Omadino, where about 2,650 litres of stolen crude oil and 1,200 litres of illegally refined AGO products were recovered from 17 dugout pits and 16 polythene sacks, respectively.
‘Also, on 30 July 2025, FOB Escravos deactivated another active illegal refining site at Obodo Omadinho, where about 3,200 litres of stolen crude oil and 945 litres of illegally refined AGO were recovered from 10 dugout pits and 13 polythene sacks’.
He said the FOB Escravos deactivated the illegal refining sites and seized approximately 20,950 litres of stolen crude oil and 6,395 litres of illegally refined AGO.
He said, ‘The products were discovered in two locally fabricated ovens, 92 dugout pits and 60 polythene sacks’.
