Emma Sunday
The Nigerian Navy says it’s personnel from the NNS Pathfinder, have dismantled 5 illegal refining sites with 21 reservoirs in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku disclosed this in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Commodore Aniaku disclosed that the operation against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities at ONELGA, was conducted on Saturday 14 June, 2025, by NNS PATHFINDER’s Tactical Riverine Assault Squadron Team.
According to him, the dismantled sites which were used for massive illegal oil bunkering activities in the area had 62 ovens, 21 reservoirs and 55 dugout pits containing approximately 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 83,000 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 20,000 litres of illegally refined kerosene.
The statement reads in part; “On 14 June 2025, the Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER successfully conducted an operation against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities within the Ogba
Egbema/Ndoni general area.
“The NNS PATHFINDER’s Tactical Riverine Assault Squadron Team, acting on credible intelligence, deployed personnel and assets to conduct anti-crude oil theft and illegal bunkering operations within the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni general area. During the operation, the Team discovered a newly activated illegal refining site.
“Accordingly, the team identified and dismantled 5 illegal refining sites with 62 ovens, 21 reservoirs and 55 dugout pits containing approximately 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 83,000 liters of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 20,000 litres of illegally refined kerosene.
“The products were handled in accordance with anti-crude oil theft procedures. No arrests were made as the perpetrators fled upon sighting the patrol team,” he said.
Commodore Aniaku however, restated that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla (Admiralty Medal) remains committed to combating crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities, which pose significant threats to the nation’s economy and energy security.
