The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a warehouse containing approximately 10,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, popularly known as AGO, in the Eleme Express area of Rivers State.

The discovery was made on Saturday, September 12, 2026, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER during a patrol of the Eleme-Okrika-Onne general area as part of ongoing operations against crude oil theft and illegal petroleum activities.

In a statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, on behalf of the Nigerian Navy revealed that the suspected illegally refined product was stored in 400 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres.

The Navy said the product was suspected to have been sourced from locations outside the immediate community and stored at the facility for onward sale to buyers.

The Navy said the discovery exposed a suspected storage and distribution point within the illicit petroleum supply chain and disrupted the movement of illegally refined products to the market.

The Navy, however, said no illegal refining site was found at the location, indicating that the facility was allegedly being used primarily for the storage of the products.

It added that the operation was significant because it disrupted what it described as a critical link in the illicit petroleum supply chain.

According to the Navy, the seizure denied illicit operators the opportunity to accumulate and distribute illegally refined petroleum products, thereby constraining the commercial network supporting illegal refining activities.

The recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

No arrest was made during the operation, as the suspected operators reportedly fled after sighting the naval patrol team.