Illegal Refining Sites Bursted, 87,000Ltrs of Stolen Crude Denied Criminals as FOB Bonny Sustains Anti-Oil Theft Offensive
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny has sustained its campaign against crude oil theft and illegal refining in the waterways of Rivers State, with the latest operation leading to the discovery and deactivation of four newly activated illegal refining sites around Awokiri Community in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, resulted in the discovery of 19 dugout pits containing an estimated 84,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, alongside another 3,000 litres found in a general-purpose tank, bringing the total quantity of suspected stolen crude oil discovered to approximately 87,000 litres.
The latest operation underscores the strategic role FOB Bonny continues to play in protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure, securing waterways and ensuring that maritime and commercial activities within its Area of Operations are not disrupted by criminal activities.
FOB Bonny, established in December 2005, occupies a strategically important position in Nigeria’s maritime security architecture.
The Nigerian Navy says the base is crucial to the protection of the Bonny Oil Terminal and Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal, while also monitoring and curbing pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft around the Cawthorne Channel and adjoining waterways.
Over the years, the Base has maintained regular patrols and anti-crude oil theft operations aimed at denying criminal networks freedom of action in the creeks and waterways through which legitimate oil, gas and maritime activities are conducted.
Intelligence-led operation
According to a special situation report from FOB Bonny, the latest operation followed credible intelligence indicating the activation of new illegal refining sites around Awokiri Community.
An anti-crude oil theft team comprising 12 armed personnel embarked on a patrol from the Shell SLOT Jetty at about 12:20 p.m. aboard RHIB 2 and Suncraft BO103.
On arrival at the area of interest, the team deployed a DJI drone for aerial surveillance. The exercise revealed several suspected illegal refining sites comprising dugout pits, storage tanks and connecting hoses.
The personnel subsequently carried out a tactical landing to conduct a detailed ground assessment and exploitation of the locations.
The operation uncovered four newly activated illegal refining sites with 19 dugout pits. Ten of the pits contained an estimated 84,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, six were filled with water, while three had been freshly excavated and appeared prepared for future use.
The team also discovered two general-purpose tanks. One contained approximately 3,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, while the other was empty.
Hoses linked sites to river
Further examination of the area revealed several four-inch hoses connecting the dugout pits to the riverbank, suggesting that the locations had been configured to facilitate the movement of suspected stolen crude oil between the sites and the waterways.
The discovered pits, hoses and suspected stolen crude oil were documented and handled in accordance with established operational procedures before the naval team withdrew and returned to the Shell SLOT Jetty at about 4:39 p.m.
Sustained campaign against oil theft
The latest operation is part of a sustained pattern of enforcement by FOB Bonny against oil theft, illegal bunkering and related maritime crimes.
In July 2026, the Base uncovered nine illegal refining sites comprising 23 dugout pits in Bonny, with 18 pits containing an estimated 104,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil. Five other freshly excavated pits were reportedly neutralised before they became operational.
Earlier in July, the Base also uncovered an illegal crude oil storage facility in the Bethel Community axis of Bonny, recovering approximately 20,500 litres of suspected stolen crude oil from concealed dugout pits.
The campaign has extended beyond the destruction or deactivation of established illegal refining sites to intercepting the infrastructure and logistics required to establish new ones.
In 2024, FOB Bonny personnel intercepted materials reportedly intended for the construction of illegal refining facilities around the Cawthorne Channel and arrested three suspects.
In August 2025, the Base also deactivated four illegal refining sites in the Awokiri area, recovering an estimated 124,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
These operations reflect the wider Nigerian Navy mandate of maintaining maritime presence, combating crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, protecting critical national infrastructure and keeping commercial waterways secure for legitimate maritime activities.
For a maritime hub hosting critical national and international economic assets, the continuing FOB Bonny operations are therefore significant beyond the quantities of crude oil recovered.
They represent an ongoing effort to deny criminal networks access to strategic waterways, protect oil and gas infrastructure, and preserve the security environment necessary for legitimate maritime commerce and Nigeria’s wider economic interests to thrive.
The latest discovery around Awokiri indicates that while sustained enforcement has disrupted existing illegal refining networks, criminal elements continue to attempt to establish new sites—making intelligence gathering, surveillance and persistent patrols central to securing the area.
