Nigerian Navy Shuts Down Massive Illegal Refinery Producing Over a Million Litres of Fuel Daily [VIDEO]

The Nigerian Navy has dismantled an illegal refinery along the Isaka/Ogoloma River in Rivers State.

This illicit operation was capable of producing over two million litres of automotive gasoline oil (AGO) daily, amounting to a staggering 200 million litres of fuel each day.

The discovery highlights the extensive and organized nature of illegal oil refining in Nigeria, particularly within the creeks of the Niger Delta.

The region is notorious for its dense network of waterways, which provide cover for these clandestine operations.

As one local politician, Chidi Lloyd, explained, "Stolen crude oil is brought here by boat, and in the middle of the clearing are two big, rusting metal cauldrons where crude oil is refined or 'cooked'."

The environmental impact of these activities is devastating.

The once lush green vegetation has been replaced by blackened clearings, with puddles of oil on the ground and burnt tree trunks rising from them.

The air is thick with pollution, and the water in the creeks has been blackened by oil slicks.

A doctor in Port Harcourt, the major city in the Niger Delta, noted an increase in patients with respiratory problems linked to the pollution. "A night spent sleeping in the city can leave a black residue around the nose, despite having the windows closed," he said.

Despite the dangers and environmental damage, illegal refining remains a lucrative business.

One operator, who asked to remain anonymous, described the process: "A fire is lit in a pit under the cauldron, and the crude oil is heated and condensed into different petroleum products from kerosene to diesel.

The heated oil is then funnelled into a cooling chamber." However, this process is fraught with risks, including deadly explosions. The economic allure of illegal refining cannot be overstated.

In a country where unemployment is soaring, many see it as a necessary evil. Osaja, a local involved in the trade, likened himself to a modern-day Robin Hood, claiming, "We have seen so much wealth generated from our land, yet we remain impoverished. This is our way of taking back what is ours."

The Nigerian government estimates that over $3 billion worth of oil was stolen last year alone.