The Nigerian Navy has dismantled four operational illegal refining sites in the Awokiri area of Bonny Local Government, Rivers State, confiscating over 124,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

The raid, conducted on August 5, 2025, was led by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny’s anti-crude oil theft unit. According to the unit’s Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Siraj Almustapha, the discovery was made during a routine patrol around midday. The refining camps were positioned side-by-side along a 150-metre stretch near the riverbank.

During the operation, naval personnel found 12 dug-out pits—each holding about 5,000 litres of crude—alongside four massive storage tanks containing an estimated 14,000 litres each. They also uncovered four cooking tanks loaded with roughly 2,000 litres apiece. Additional equipment recovered included a pumping machine, steel pipes, multiple hoses, and an empty 50-litre jerrycan.

Almustapha explained that the illegal setups were active at the time of the operation, with fresh crude oil in both the pits and tanks. Each cooking tank was linked to a cooling system that channelled the refined product toward larger tanks at the river’s edge, believed to serve as loading points for transportation.

He stressed that the intervention was in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategy to curb crude oil theft, protect national infrastructure, and ensure safe maritime operations. The officer also warned those involved in the illicit trade to abandon such activities and pursue lawful livelihoods.

The Navy said the bust not only prevented the stolen crude from entering illegal markets but also dealt a major blow to the operations of oil thieves in the Niger Delta.