Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division have recovered 3,120 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and equipment believed to have been used for illegal refining during an operation in Okarki Forest, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The recovery was made on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, during an anti-illegal bunkering operation conducted by the troops between 10:15am and 6pm, according to security analyst Zagazola Makama.
The operation led soldiers into parts of the forest where materials linked to crude-oil processing had reportedly been concealed.
Among the equipment discovered were eight drum ovens, two coolants, three drum reservoirs, four iron buckets and four metal pipes with a combined estimated length of about 200 metres.
Troops also found 78 sacks containing crude oil, with the quantity estimated at 3,120 litres.
The recovered materials are suspected to have been intended for or used in the illegal processing of crude oil within the forest, highlighting the continued efforts by security forces to disrupt illegal bunkering and refining activities in the Niger Delta.
The recovered crude oil and equipment were subsequently handled in accordance with the operational procedures of Operation Delta Safe, the military operation responsible for security activities in Nigeria’s oil-producing South-South region.
Troops Recover 3,120 Litres of Stolen Crude, Illegal Refining Equipment in Rivers Forest
