The Nigerian Navy seized vessels linked to crude oil theft and destroyed illegal refining sites during Operation Delta Sanity II in March. On March 7, troops dismantled a refinery in Oteghele, Delta State, seizing 5,500 liters of stolen crude and 2,000 liters of refined AGO.On March 8, the Navy seized a large wooden boat with 40,000 liters of crude oil in Rivers State’s Okrika and Ogajama areas.
The following day, on March 9, the Navy intercepted the MFT Olokun VIII vessel in Bayelsa’s Saint Nicholas River, which was carrying illegal weapons, including a G3 rifle, a pump-action gun, 20 rounds of ammunition, and seven live cartridges. Two suspects were arrested and will face prosecution.On March 10, the Navy shut down three illegal refineries in Delta, seizing ovens, pits, crude oil, and refined AGO. On March 13, they found eight illegal refineries in Rivers, with 55 ovens, 55,000 liters of crude, and 4,000 liters of refined diesel. On March 14, two boats with 5,000 liters of stolen crude were seized in Bayelsa.On March 15, a boat with 1,000 litres of stolen crude oil was intercepted near Bille/Krakrama waterways, Rivers State.
On March 17, three illegal refinery sites were shut down in Obodo Omadino, Delta State, with two ovens, 10 dugout pits, 2,700 litres of crude oil, and 1,900 litres of AGO. On March 20, two wooden boats siphoning crude oil, two drums of crude oil, and a cooking oven were seized near Clough Creek and Dodo River, Bayelsa. On March 23, two more illegal refinery sites were found in Oteghele-Obodo Omadino, with two ovens, 10 dugout pits, 2,700 litres of crude oil, and 2,200 litres of refined petrol.Troops seized a boat with 1,500 litres of crude oil near Bille/Krakrama creeks, Rivers, another with 100,000 litres near Egbessan oilfield, Ondo, and a wooden boat with 30,000 litres of illegally refined PMS in the Okirika axis, Rivers.
On March 27, they uncovered a suspected cultist and kidnapper camp, four vandalized wellheads, and eight illegal refinery sites containing 70,000 litres of crude oil, 25,000 litres of refined AGO, 15,000 litres of kerosene, and 40 ovens. A storage facility with 15 jerrycans of refined AGO was also found in Bigimi, Ondo State.
