By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Air Force task force charged with tackling oil theft, Operation Delta Safe, has destroyed eight illegal refining sites and wooden boats laden with suspected stolen crude oil along Shell-operated Kolo Creek Trunkline and Soku Sambarth lines in Rivers State.
The Nigerian Air Force flying overhead Obenibokiri, a settlement about 15 km away from Port Harcourt, spotted eight active Illegal refining sites with overhead tanks and over 300 piled-up sacks containing suspected stolen oil products and took action, according to Air Vice Marshal, Mr Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force.
According to the mouthpiece, all eight illegal refineries were “effectively destroyed.”
“Air operations against the activities of oil thieves and other criminals in the Niger Delta and support of ground forces will continue across the region. The need for law-abiding citizens to key into the efforts of security agencies to deter the activities of these economic saboteurs would go a long way in checkmating their activities.” Mr Gabkwet said.
Similarly, the Defence Headquarters says it has launched a unified offensive operation in the Niger Delta to combat crude oil theft.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, said the operation will be conducted through a unified command structure, involving all security agencies operating in the Niger Delta.
“The targeted areas include enforcing transparency by international oil companies, ensuring the integrity of metering systems, tracking crude oil from point of loading to destination, and surveillance of pipelines, jackets, and wellheads.
“The operation has already recorded significant successes, with troops neutralizing 125 criminals, arresting 200 persons, and rescuing 140 kidnapped hostages. Additionally, troops recovered 120 assorted weapons, 1,793 assorted ammunition, and destroyed 11 dugout pits, 5 boats, and 20 storage tanks used for illegal refining,” he added.
The Defence spokesperson assured that the military will continue to work with the people of the Niger Delta and stakeholders in the oil sector to boost the nation’s oil production and ensure the prosecution of culprits engaged in crude oil theft.