The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, dismantling 12 illegal refinery sites and recovering over 531,500 litres of stolen petroleum products in the first quarter of 2026.
The operations, carried out under Operation Delta Sentinel, also led to the arrest of 18 suspects linked to oil theft and other maritime crimes across the region.
Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed on Friday that the operation recorded more than 183 successful missions between January and March 2026.
He explained that Operation Delta Sentinel, which replaced Operation Delta Sanity II, features enhanced surveillance, improved intelligence gathering and a structured quarterly review framework, with an initial lifespan of one year.
A breakdown of the operations showed that February recorded the highest volume of recoveries with 360,700 litres of stolen products, followed by 118,800 litres in January and 52,000 litres in March.
Folorunsho highlighted several key breakthroughs during the period, including the seizure of 45,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in Rivers State between January 20 and 23, and the interception of an 18-tonne barge on February 13.
He added that naval operatives uncovered a 96,000-litre illegal wellhead in Bayelsa State on February 23, while 34,000 litres of petroleum products were recovered on March 5.According to him, operations in March were particularly intense across Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states, with targeted raids in areas such as Warri South-West, Oteghele Creek, Ogbe-Ijoh, Alakiri River and the Ogbia/Egbema/Ndoni axis.
“About 45,000 litres of crude oil were recovered at Alakiri River on March 14, while 44,000 litres of AGO were intercepted at Ogbologo on March 21, alongside the arrest of eight suspects,” he said.
He noted that additional operations yielded recoveries ranging from 4,000 to over 21,000 litres per location, while several illegal wellheads, reservoirs and pipeline connections used for siphoning crude oil were dismantled.
In total, the Navy destroyed 12 illegal refinery sites, four storage facilities, three vessels or boats, and two wellhead or pipeline connections during the period.
Folorunsho said the sustained operations are beginning to weaken the economic incentives of oil theft, as reflected in the declining market value of recovered products.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain and critical oil infrastructure, noting that efforts are aligned with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
“The Nigerian Navy will sustain intelligence-driven operations and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to further dismantle oil theft networks,” he said.
Operation Delta Sentinel builds on previous maritime security efforts, including Operation Delta Sanity, which was launched in January 2026 to combat crude oil theft and enhance security in the Niger Delta.
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