Navy Seizes 345 Illegal Refineries

The Nigerian Navy has disclosed that about 347 illegal refineries have been destroyed in Niger Delta in five months.

This was disclosed by the Director of Information at the Naval Headquarters, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan on Friday.

He added that there were proliferation of illegal refineries which he said led to crude oil theft because access to crude supply through vandalism of pipelines had kept the illegal artisanal refineries alive.

“Since Operation Dakatar de Barawo commenced on April 1, 2022, the illegal refining sites that we have destroyed so far are 347, and we have arrested 143 suspects till date.

“The perpetrators are usually locals recruited by the main perpetrators in the crime and the proliferation of the illegal refining sites is in many ways fuelling the theft because it’s like a symbiotic relationship.

“Access to oil supply through pipeline vandalism keeps the illegal artisanal refineries alive”, he added.