Navy Grabs 37 Illegal Miners in Bayelsa and Destroys Massive Oil Refinery in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy has dealt a heavy blow to economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta. On Sunday, March 15, 2026, naval officers arrested 37 suspected illegal miners and dismantled a multi-million naira oil refining site in two separate operations.

The first victory happened in Bayelsa State. Acting on a tip-off, a patrol team from NNS Soroh swooped in on the Anyama Jetty in Yenagoa. They caught 37 men red-handed as they tried to load a wooden boat’s worth of black sand into waiting trucks. The Bayelsa State government had already banned this type of mining, so the Navy handed the suspects over to the state’s “Doo-Akpo” security outfit for investigation.

Meanwhile, in Rivers State, another team from NNS Pathfinder discovered a hidden “oil factory” in the bushes along the Alakiri River. The site was filled with 10 large pits containing about 45,000 litres of stolen crude oil. Although the criminals fled into the forest when they saw the Navy coming, the officers made sure the refinery was completely destroyed so it could not be used again.

The Navy spokesperson, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said these raids are part of the “Zero Tolerance” order given by the Chief of Naval Staff. By stopping illegal mining and oil theft, the Navy is helping to protect Nigeria’s economy and make sure the country’s resources are used for everyone’s benefit.