Rivers: Nigerian Navy Shuts Down Illegal Refinery

The Nigerian Navy has dismantled an illegal refinery in Rivers. Learn about the operation and its impact on local oil theft.

An illicit refinergy, with the capacity to create more than two million liters of automotive gasoline oil (AGO) on a daily basis along the Isaka/Ogoloma River in Rivers State, has been unveiled by the Nigerian Navy.

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder carried out an operation on the directive of Chief Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla. It resulted in the demolition of over 500 drums used for crude oil cooking to eliminate illegal refining and oil theft in Niger Delta region.

Extensive intelligence and surveillance efforts by the Navy led to the discovery that the illegal refinery had a pipeline connected to an oil wellhead operated by Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. This connection indicated its involvement in siphoning crude oil for refining purposes.

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Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku, the Commander of NNS Pathfinder, elucidated that oil thieves have embraced a new approach by utilizing drums to refine pilfered crude oil into AGO and other derivatives. This practice confers an appreciable edge owing to the effortless assembly and disassembly of drums.

Up until now, the undertaking has led to the annihilation of more than 500 barrels, multiple excavated pits and furnaces — all with the ability to manufacture over 200 million cubic liters of AGO each day. Commodore Aniaku released a cautionary message for those participating in illicit refining operations while reasserting Navy’s dedication towards safeguarding vital structures within our nation.

Aniaku stated that a substantial illegal refining site was uncovered in the Ogoloma area as part of the Chief of Naval Staff’s instruction to eliminate all unauthorized refineries. He stressed that efforts would persist, with an emphasis on disabling illicit sites and quelling criminal behavior.