The Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder in Rivers State and the NNS Soroh in Bayelsa State have dismantled five illegal Refining sites in Egboma community, destroying thousands of liters of illegally refined products at Ogbogolo community.

The operation was conducted in Rivers and Bayelsa states on receiving credible intelligence on the activities of oil thieves, leading to the discovery of the illegal Refining sites in the creeks.

The operatives discovered 15 dug out pits used for storing stolen products, over 85,000 liters of substance suspected to be crude oil, as well as hoses and other items, used to siphon petroleum products by oil thieves.

No suspect was arrested during both operations as the suspects were said to have fled the scene on sighting Navy gunboats, patrolling the creeks and waterways.

The Nigerian Navy has intensified surveillance patrol within the Rivers and Bayelsa territorial waters. This, according to the Navy, is to arrest the perpetrators and suspected engineers who helped in the tapping of oil wellheads, leading to the stealing of crude oil.