The Nigerian Army has intensified its crackdown on oil theft in the Niger Delta, achieving significant operational victories.
Troops of the 6 Division, working closely with other security agencies, have “continued to sustain the operational gains recorded against oil thieves” in the region.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, in a statement, revealed that troops “dismantled 37 illegal refining sites, six boats, arrested ten suspected oil thieves, and recovered over 130,000 litres of stolen products.”
In Rivers State, around Obiafu, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) LGA, a cluster of nine illegal refining sites equipped with 176 cooking drums and several pumping machines was destroyed.
“Two mobile phones, several locally constructed dumps, stocked with over 60,000 litres of stolen products were confiscated,” the statement read.
The recovered items included “about 50,000 litres of stolen crude, 5,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 6,250 litres of illegally refined Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK).” Four oil thieves were apprehended during the operation.
“In Buguma general area in Asari-Toru LGA, three illegal refining sites, a large boat was also deactivated with over 24,000 litres of stolen products recovered,” the statement continued.
Additionally, “around Bille and Bakana general areas in Degema LGA, three illegal refining sites, two wooden and one fibre boats, were intercepted with over 6,000 and 5,000 litres of stolen crude, as well as 5,000 litres of illegally refined DPK recovered.”
At Ozorchi Forest in Abua/Odual, four illegal refining sites containing over 10,000 litres of stolen products were handled.
“Clearance operations conducted along Imo River led to the deactivation of eight illegal refining sites, 50 drum pots, 65 metal container receivers, as well as over 5,000 litres of stolen products recovered,” the statement added.
In Bayelsa State, operations around Kunsho Creek in Southern Ijaw resulted in the handling of one illegal refining site with 2,000 litres of stolen crude. Furthermore, at Kumbo 4 Flow Line in Ekeremor LGA, troops thwarted an attempt to compromise a Shell Petroleum Development Company pipeline.
The vandals fled the scene, abandoning “18-inch pipes and three gas cylinders.”
“In Delta State, troops intercepted a tanker truck positioned to siphon crude oil from Platform Petroleum Limited Pipeline at Obiukwole community in Ethiope East LGA.
A blue hose laid into the bush linking the pipeline to the tanker truck in preparation to steal was discovered by troops,” the statement read. “In addition, four suspected oil thieves were arrested at the scene.”
In Akwa Ibom, troops have maintained a dominant presence across both the hinterlands and waterways to ward off criminal activities.
This sustained offensive reflects the Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation’s resources and restoring order in the Niger Delta region.