The Nigerian Navy says it has uncovered nine illegal refining sites comprising 23 dugout pits in Bonny council area of Rivers, according to an operational report on Tuesday.

It said that the sites were uncovered during an operation carried out by personnel of Forward Operating Base Bonny under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.

During the operation, personnel uncovered nine illegal refining sites comprising 23 dugout pits, with 18 of the pits containing an estimated 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.

Five newly excavated pits, prepared for imminent use, were also found and neutralised before they could become operational.

”The operation dealt another major setback to crude oil theft syndicates and further reinforced the service’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.

“Following actionable intelligence, personnel targeted criminal infrastructure concealed within the Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities. The operation denied economic saboteurs the opportunity to activate new refining locations and sustain illicit petroleum production,” the report said.

It stated that eight locally fabricated refining pots and three large storage tanks were recovered, further disrupting the criminal network’s refining capability.

(NAN)