The Nigerian Navy as part of Operation Delta Safe has raided some illegal refinery sites in continuation of the clampdown on crude oil thieves in the maritime area.

In a statement issued on Friday, Navy Director of Information, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe, explained that the patrol team deployed by NNS Pathfinder in Rivers State on December 28, discovered and destroyed two barges at Taraba Jetty axis.

He said that one of the barges was loaded with estimated 70,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO while the second barge had a mixture of AGO and water.

“In a related development, the patrol team of FOB Escravos carried out a raid on a newly erected illegal refining site at Asafama village near Jones Creek in Warri South West LGA of Delta State.

“The Naval operatives who acted on intelligence report took the criminals by surprise and destroyed the site including a large storage pit which has unspecified quantity of illegally refined AGO. One person was arrested in connection with the site as other suspects fled the scene.