The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced that its Air Component of Operation Delta Safe has demolished more than 100 illegal refinery sites across the Niger Delta through targeted airstrikes between January and May 2025. This was revealed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame. According to Ejodame, the intensified operations by the 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), which oversees the air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have led to significant achievements within the five-month period. Throughout the operations, the Air Component conducted 173 missions and 265 sorties, accumulating around 270 flight hours. These missions targeted major oil-producing states such as Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
Ejodame noted that “through sustained surveillance and precision airstrikes, NAF aircraft neutralized over 100 illegal refining sites, 53 boats, 74 cooking tanks, two crude oil reservoirs, and several transport vehicles.”
These efforts severely disrupted the logistics and operational networks of oil thieves in critical areas like Buguma, Imo River, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Egbema/Ohaji, and along the Trans Niger Pipeline Right of Way.
In addition, the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, working in partnership with other security agencies, has achieved notable progress in its anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT) operations across the region.
Between May 19 and 25, 2025, troops dismantled 19 illegal refining sites and arrested 20 suspected oil thieves.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division, disclosed that over 589,000 litres of stolen petroleum products, including Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and crude oil, were recovered during the operations.
The raids covered several areas, including Okolomade, Orashi, and Ozochi Forests in Abua/Odual and Ndoni in Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Areas.
In Delta State, troops uncovered an illegal refinery in Jeddo, Okpe LGA, where more than 1,000 litres of stolen products stored in polythene bags were recovered.
Similarly, at Ogbu Aladja in Warri South LGA, several illegal refining sites were shut down, with multiple sacks of illegally refined AGO seized.