The Nigerian Army has arrested 29 suspected oil thieves and recovered over 60,000 litres of stolen crude oil in a major operation across the Niger Delta.
The operation, part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal bunkering, was executed by the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in synergy with other security agencies.
The crackdown, which targeted various locations within the Niger Delta region, resulted in the deactivation of 24 illegal refining sites and the demobilization of 11 boats used in the illicit activities.
A statement issued on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, provided details of the operation, highlighting significant successes in the fight against illegal oil theft.
The operation spanned multiple local government areas, including Imo River, Obigbo, Buguma, and various locations in Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states. Troops destroyed six illegal refining sites along the Imo River, confiscating 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers.
More than 18,000 litres of stolen crude were recovered in the process. In Obigbo, troops uncovered a reservoir containing over 1,000 litres of stolen crude and confiscated 100 sacks filled with an additional 1,500 litres.
The operation also led to the interception of significant quantities of illegal refined products. In Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, one refining site was dismantled, and over 9,000 litres of stolen crude were recovered.
Similarly, at the Ebocha Well 5, troops destroyed a site with over 9,400 litres of stolen oil, including 5,900 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO).
In a coordinated effort, security forces in Delta State conducted a sting operation in Okpai Oluchi, where over 2,800 litres of stolen products were seized.
An abandoned vehicle, loaded with 15 sacks of illegally refined AGO, was also intercepted in Isoko South Local Government Area.
In Bayelsa State, troops destroyed two illegal refining sites along the border between Joinkrama 4 in Yenagoa and Okarki in Ahoada West.
They also confiscated 2,500 litres of AGO from sacks hidden along the River Niger and Akinima.
The military continues to monitor and deny criminal elements freedom of operation, with sustained efforts to combat oil theft and its associated environmental damage in the Niger Delta.
The Nigerian Army has vowed to continue its operations until all forms of illegal oil theft in the region are eradicated.
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