More than 580 operations, 91 suspects arrested, 58 illegal refining sites destroyed, 48 illegal storage facilities dismantled, 239 dugout pits deactivated, 4.7 million litres of stolen petroleum products recovered, three motor tankers intercepted carrying over 1,000 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude, and 84 kilometres of critical oil pipelines protected tell the story of the Nigerian Navy’s intensified offensive against crude oil theft under Operation Delta Sentinel between April and June 2026. Driven by intelligence-led operations and sustained military pressure across the Niger Delta and beyond, it has become one of the country’s most aggressive efforts to dismantle illegal refining networks, secure oil infrastructure and support Nigeria’s drive to increase crude oil production. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports
Operation Delta Sentinel was launched by the Nigerian Navy (NN) as a dedicated maritime security operation to combat crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other forms of economic sabotage threatening Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The operation forms part of the navy’s broader mandate to secure the nation’s maritime domain while supporting the federal government’s efforts to boost crude oil production, protect strategic national assets and strengthen economic stability.
