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🔥 Operation Delta Sanity II: Navy Smashes 10 Illegal Refineries in Niger Delta Blitz

The Nigerian Navy is turning up the heat in the creeks — and illegal oil refiners are feeling the burn. Under the codename Operation Delta Sanity II, personnel from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos launched a calculated offensive that saw ten illegal refining sites obliterated across the swampy labyrinth of Obodo Omadino and Oteghele, Delta State.

At the helm of this crackdown, Navy Captain Ikenna Okoloagu declared war on crude oil thieves and economic saboteurs, calling the operations a resounding success in the Navy's relentless effort to protect Nigeria’s oil wealth.

From July 1 to July 30, 2025, the Navy played zero games:

On Day One alone, three illegal sites were neutralized — yielding 7,200 litres of stolen crude and 1,575 litres of illegally refined diesel (AGO).

On July 12, they hit again, recovering 2,300 litres from hidden pits.

July 19 brought another bust: a pump-powered mini refinery spewing out 4,200 litres of stolen crude.

By July 23, two more sites were erased from the map, with almost 5,000 litres in stolen oil products recovered.

The final swoop on July 27 and July 30 uncovered even more — ovens, sacks, pits, and liquid gold hoarded underground.

The scorecard?
🔥 20,950 litres of stolen crude
🔥 6,395 litres of illegally refined AGO
🔥 92 dugout pits, 60 polythene sacks, and 2 makeshift ovens shut down permanently.

Captain Okoloagu stressed that the operations were made possible through "credible intelligence" and the backing of Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, who has made it clear: no hiding place for oil thieves.

As Nigeria pushes to boost crude production and plug economic leaks, the Navy’s message rings loud and clear — if you're in the business of stealing oil, your days are numbered.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna