Navy Recovers 2.25 Million Litres of Stolen Petroleum, Arrests 70 Suspects in Q3
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Nigerian Navy has recovered more than 2.25 million litres of petroleum products, rescued 24 kidnapped persons and arrested over 70 suspects during its third-quarter operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage.
The operations, conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL between July and September 2026, also led to the seizure of four vessels and five boats, while 14 other boats were destroyed for their involvement in crude oil theft.
In a statement, the Navy said the operations targeted criminal networks involved in crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal refining and maritime crime, with the aim of protecting critical oil and gas infrastructure.
The recovered petroleum products comprised 1,555,983 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 595,470 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 85,690 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and 15,774 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene.
The Navy also deactivated more than 88 illegal refining sites, 363 dugout pits, 20 reservoirs and 80 storage tanks and reservoirs. Eight refining ovens were destroyed, while eight outboard engines, four arms, over 100 rounds of ammunition and seven vehicles and trucks were recovered.
According to the Service, the operations significantly disrupted the infrastructure and logistics supporting criminal networks involved in the theft, processing, storage and transportation of illegally sourced petroleum products.
The third-quarter achievements build on earlier successes recorded since Operation DELTA SENTINEL commenced in January 2026.
In the first quarter, the Navy conducted more than 183 operations, recovered over 531,500 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and arrested 18 suspects.
The operational tempo increased in the second quarter, when more than 580 intelligence-driven operations resulted in the recovery of over 4.698 million litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, the arrest of more than 91 suspects and the dismantling of over 48 illegal refining sites.
Cumulatively, since the operation began, the Navy said it had disrupted more than 241 illegal refining networks and sites, recovered over 7.482 million litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, and arrested more than 230 suspects.
The Navy linked its sustained efforts to the protection of national economic interests, noting that provisional Balance of Payments statistics released by the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that crude oil export earnings increased from $8.11 billion in the first quarter of 2026 to $9.39 billion in the second quarter, representing a 15.78 per cent rise.
It acknowledged that the improvement reflected the collective contributions of the Federal Government, regulators, industry operators, security agencies, host communities and other stakeholders, while noting that protecting oil and gas infrastructure helps create a more secure environment for legitimate production and evacuation.
Beyond arrests and seizures, the Navy stressed the importance of effective investigations and prosecution to ensure that suspects apprehended for crude oil theft and illegal refining face appropriate judicial consequences.
It cited the recent conviction of nine crude oil thieves by the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as an example of the desired outcome of enforcement operations.
The Service called for swifter investigations and diligent prosecution of suspects, warning that delays could weaken deterrence and allow criminal networks to resume their activities.
Under the strategic direction of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, the Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations and strengthening collaboration with host communities and relevant stakeholders to protect critical national assets and combat economic sabotage.
