Navy Seizes 10,000 Litres of Suspected Illegally Refined AGO in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a warehouse containing about 10,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in the Eleme Express area of Rivers State.

The discovery was made on September 12, 2026, by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER during a patrol of the Eleme–Okrika–Onne general area as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and illegal petroleum activities in the Niger Delta.

According to a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the suspected illegally refined AGO was stored in 400 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres of the product.

The Navy said preliminary findings indicated that the product was suspected to have been sourced from locations outside the immediate community and stockpiled at the facility for onward sale to buyers.

It, however, clarified that no illegal refining site was discovered at the location.

The operation, according to the Navy, was significant as it disrupted a suspected storage and distribution point within the illicit petroleum supply chain.

The recovery effectively denied suspected illegal operators the opportunity to accumulate and distribute large quantities of illegally refined petroleum products to the market, thereby weakening the commercial network that sustains illegal refining activities.

The recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

The Navy added that no arrest was made during the operation, as the suspected operators reportedly fled upon sighting the naval patrol team.

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