The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempt to reactivate an illegal refining site in Rivers State, recovering approximately 350 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during an operation in the Okolomade general area of Abua/Odual Local Government Area.
The operation, conducted by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH on September 6, 2026, followed credible intelligence indicating that illegal refining activities were being revived in the area.
According to the Navy, suspected operators fled after sighting the naval team, abandoning the illegally refined petroleum product and two wheelbarrows believed to have been used to transport the product.
In a related operation, personnel from the base revisited a previously disrupted illegal refining site in the Ogbogolo area, where they rendered remaining metallic ovens, storage tanks and other associated infrastructure unusable.
The Navy said the action effectively closed avenues for the site to be exploited again by criminal operators.
The latest operations reflect the Navy’s efforts to move beyond simply disrupting illegal refining activities by targeting the infrastructure that enables operators to repeatedly restart their operations.
According to the Navy, destroying or disabling such infrastructure is intended to reduce the ability of illicit petroleum networks to recover and continue operating in the affected areas.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, Nigerian Navy.
