THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed more than 100 illegal refining sites across the Niger Delta within the last five months, in a major escalation of its crackdown on crude oil theft and environmental degradation.
The intensified air operations, executed under Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS), are part of a coordinated effort to dismantle criminal networks, safeguard vital oil infrastructure and secure Nigeria’s economic backbone.
According to a statement issued by Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, the operations were carried out by the 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), which houses the Air Component of OPDS. The campaign reflects the NAF’s growing role in protecting national assets against economic sabotage.
According to the statement, between January and May 2025, the Air Component conducted over 173 missions and 265 sorties, logging approximately 270 flying hours in both joint and independent operations.
It noted that these missions spanned several oil-rich states, including Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
The statement revealed that the airstrikes destroyed over 100 illegal refining sites, 53 boats, 74 cooking tanks, two crude oil reservoirs and several vehicles used in transporting stolen crude.
“These efforts targeted key operational corridors for oil thieves, including Buguma, Imo River, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Egbema/Ohaji and areas along the Trans Niger Pipeline Right of Way.
“These precision strikes have significantly disrupted the logistics and operational capacity of criminal syndicates operating in the region,” the statement noted.
The statement stressed that the NAF’s intensified campaign aligns with national security objectives, which aim to halt the widespread environmental damage caused by illegal refining activities, curtail economic losses and protect infrastructure essential to Nigeria’s revenue stream.
Whilst reaffirming the Air Force’s commitment to civil-military cooperation and regional development in the Niger Delta, it maintained that sustained kinetic operations remain vital in uprooting entrenched criminal elements.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in its commitment to national stability and economic recovery. Securing Nigeria’s oil-producing zones is central to restoring law and order and safeguarding the country’s most valuable resources,” the statement added.
