The Nigerian Navy (NN) has executed a string of coordinated operations under operation code named “Delta Sanity” leading to the arrest of six suspects and the dismantling of several illegal refinery sites across the Niger Delta region.
This was contained in a statement on Friday by the Director of Naval Information (Dinfo), Commodore Adams-Aliu, stating that the operations were carried out between April 20 and 22, 2025, across Bayelsa, Delta, and Imo states.
“On April 20, personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH apprehended four suspects armed with pipeline vandalism tools near the Renaissance Africa Energy Company’s pipeline at River-Kolo Creek in Bayelsa State.
“The following day, April 21, troops from the Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS uncovered and shut down two illegal refinery sites in Oteghele, Obodo Omadino Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State and the sites contained two refining ovens and ten dugout pits filled with stolen crude oil”, it stated.
Also on April 21, NNS Soroh, intercepted and confiscated two vehicles in Olodo Community, Bayelsa state, each carrying several sacks of illegally refined petroleum products.
While on April 22, the Naval Outpost Onitsha arrested two suspects found with a locally-made rifle and ten machetes while attempting to breach the Seepco Oil facility in Oguikpele Community, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra state.
Meanwhile, preliminary investigations linked the suspects to a deadly attack on June 11, 2024, which resulted in the death of three soldiers.
However, on the same day, officers aboard Nigerian Navy Ship ( NNS) Delta dismantled two additional illegal refinery sites at Bernnet Island and Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West LGA, Delta state while the sites featured nine dugout pits, as well as containers filled with illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and stolen crude oil.