The Nigerian Navy has uncovered nine illegal refining sites and recovered about 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil during an operation in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The operation was carried out by personnel of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Bonny under Operation DELTA SENTINEL following actionable intelligence, the Navy said in a statement posted on its official X account on Thursday.

According to the Navy, the operation targeted illegal refining infrastructure hidden within the Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities, preventing suspected crude oil thieves from expanding their illicit refining activities.

The Navy said operatives discovered 23 dugout pits across the nine illegal refining sites. Eighteen of the pits contained an estimated 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil, while five newly excavated pits prepared for illegal refining were destroyed before becoming operational.

It added that personnel also recovered eight locally fabricated refining pots and three large storage tanks, further disrupting the operations of the suspected oil theft syndicate.

According to the statement, all illegal refining facilities and recovered products were handled in line with existing anti-crude oil theft procedures.

The Navy said the operation underscores its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure and sustaining efforts to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

Abia State Police Command has commenced investigation to unravel the root cause of the death of five persons from a single family, who were discovered dead in their family house at Umuimo, Osisioma Ngwa local government area of the State on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Decomposing corpses of the five Umuimo residents were discovered by their  neighbors and other community members, about three days after they had retired to bed.

It was gathered that the father of the House, late Mr. Kachi Nnabugwu, his wife, Mrs. Chinaza Nnabugwu and their three  little children could not come out of their house since Sunday, a situation that made the neighbors to force their locked  house open after repeated knocking, only for the five family members to be found dead.

Containers of left over food and a generator set were reportedly found in the building, after the house had been broken open.

The bodies of the victims were on Wednesday evacuated from the compound and taken to the mortuary, even as residents of the area demanded a government thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of their death.

When contacted on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka confirmed the incident, saying that investigation had commenced.

“Yes, the attention of the Osisioma Divisional Police Headquarters was drawn to the incident on 22/07/2026 by the brother of the deceased who reported that after being unable to reach Kachi Nnabugwu, they proceeded to his residence at Umuimo Village, Osisioma LGA. 

“Upon arrival, repeated knocks yielded no response. They subsequently forced entry into the house, where they discovered the lifeless and decomposing bodies of their brother and his family.

“The crime scene has been visited. A preliminary visual inspection of the bodies was conducted, and photographs taken. The corpses have been deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy,” DSP Chinaka said.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has begun a nationwide enforcement operation to remove alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml from circulation in line with the Federal Government’s ban on the products.

The agency disclosed in a statement that the exercise is being carried out across the six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to enforce the ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml.

According to NAFDAC, the operation follows the closure of manufacturing facilities that failed to comply with the directive and forms part of its ongoing efforts to protect public health.

“NAFDAC enforcement teams are conducting coordinated operations in markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars, and other distribution channels to identify, seize, and remove banned products from circulation,” the statement said.

NAFDAC advised manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, transporters and other stakeholders to immediately surrender any remaining stock of the affected products.

The agency warned that continued possession or sale of the banned alcoholic beverages amounts to a violation of the law and could attract seizure, regulatory sanctions and prosecution.

It explained that the enforcement exercise is aimed at reducing underage drinking, harmful alcohol consumption and substance abuse, particularly among children and young people.

NAFDAC also appealed to members of the public to support the exercise by avoiding the purchase of the banned products and reporting anyone involved in their production, distribution or sale to the nearest NAFDAC office or through its toll-free line.