Troops of 29 Battalion, operating under the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe, OPDS, have uncovered an illegal refining site and recovered about 600 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The development was contained in a post shared Thursday by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama via his X handle.
Security sources said the discovery was made at about 10:00 a.m. on May 12, 2026, during ongoing anti-illegal bunkering operations in the Niger Delta region.
The troops reportedly uncovered the illegal refining site around Asa community, where a large cooking pot loaded with stolen crude oil was found stored in sacks.
Military authorities said the recovered products and equipment were handled in line with operational procedures guiding anti-oil theft operations under Operation Delta Safe.
The operation was conducted without any confrontation or security incident.
The Nigerian military has continued to intensify operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining, and other forms of economic sabotage across the Niger Delta region.
Troops uncover illegal refinery, seize 600 litres of stolen crude oil in Rivers