The Nigerian Navy has revealed that preliminary findings from its operations across the nation’s waterways suggest the possible involvement of both local and international collaborators in the thriving network of illegal oil refineries and crude oil theft.
Speaking in Abuja during a press briefing ahead of the Navy’s 69th Anniversary celebration, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla—represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abdullahi Dewu—disclosed that these illicit activities were often supported by actors who either turned a blind eye or actively participated.
According to him, the Navy has continued its relentless campaign against crude oil theft through “Operation Delta Sanity,” launched in January 2024 and reactivated in December of the same year as “Operation Delta Sanity II.” So far in 2025, the Navy has destroyed 103 illegal refining sites, arrested 34 suspects, and impounded 39 wooden boats and one vessel.
The 69th Anniversary celebration, which runs from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, June 1, 2025, will feature a range of activities including medical outreaches, naval games, interdenominational services, and ship tours in Lagos, Warri, Calabar, and Port Harcourt.