The Nigerian Navy and the Federal Government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Theft have uncovered an illegal refinery with a capacity of 40,000 litres on Bonny Island in Rivers State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the facility was discovered during a joint operation in the creeks of Bonny following actionable intelligence. Naval gunboats transported the operatives into the creeks, after which they trekked through dense vegetation before reaching the clandestine site.
Stanley Umeh, commanding officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, described the discovery as the biggest made by his team since he assumed command in March 2026.
“This discovery here is a product of long-time synergy between the base and other security agencies within the island and outside. It has been a product of actionable intelligence over time,” Umeh said.
He explained that unlike some illegal refineries where crude oil had already been deposited or processed, the facility was still at the preparatory stage.
“Most times we go, we see illegal refineries with pits and crude deposited inside. Some have already cooked, and some are yet to be cooked. But this discovery is like nipping the act in the bud,” he said.
According to Umeh, the arrangement at the site indicated plans for large-scale crude theft and refining.
“This is their preparatory stage. You could see from the build-up and the set-up of the illegal refinery, it’s meant to be a very big one that would see the siphoning or stealing of crude and brought here for cooking in large quantity,” he added.
Omar Sini, head of investigation of the task force’s special prosecution team, said the operation was the result of collaboration among intelligence, security and law-enforcement agencies.
Sini said the task force, inaugurated by the Federal Government in March 2025, was established to investigate and prosecute illicit activities in Nigeria’s hydrocarbon sector.
He added that the task force had secured at least 137 convictions since its establishment, saying this had contributed to the reduction in illicit activities in the sector.
The Navy said it would intensify surveillance and patrols across Bonny’s waterways and remote areas as part of efforts to curb crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.
