The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta has uncovered and destroyed a major illegal oil refining site at Obotebe community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to the navy, the operation that was carried out, saw a tactical deployment of 14 naval personnel aboard two gunboats and one speedboat under the command of Commodore Abdulazeez Zubairu.
Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives advanced to coordinates 5.381734⁰N and 5.587105⁰E deep within the mangrove creeks of Obotebe, where they discovered a large-scale crude oil processing dump site.
The illegal refining camp, believed to be one of many operated by oil thieves in the area, was dismantled and destroyed on the spot.
Items recovered from the site included: one 1.5 horsepower Yamaha engine, one generator, six pumping machines, and two rolls of industrial hoses.
According to Commodore Zubairu, the successful raid is in line with ‘Operation Delta Sanity II’ – a strategic anti-crude oil theft mission initiated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
He stated that the navy remains committed to maintaining zero tolerance for oil theft, illegal refining, and all forms of economic sabotage.
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“This latest operation reflects our ongoing efforts to enforce maritime security and protect national assets.
“The era of unchecked crude oil theft is over. We are dismantling these criminal networks one site at a time,” Commodore Zubairu said.
He also called on host communities to support the navy’s operations by shunning oil theft and providing timely intelligence to security agencies.
The navy stated that photographs and videos of the destroyed site have been captured for documentation, and further surveillance is ongoing to apprehend those behind the illegal activities.
Zubairu said that with this development, the navy will continue to tighten its grip on criminal elements sabotaging Nigeria’s oil infrastructure in the region.
