Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have intensified their crackdown on illegal oil activities in the Niger Delta, dismantling 31 illegal refineries and arresting 29 suspected oil thieves.
The operations, conducted between February 3rd and 9th, also led to the recovery of over 212,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, the military offensive targeted multiple locations, including Bonny Island, Obio Akpor, Degema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, and Ahoada West in Rivers State, as well as sites in Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom.
In Ogbonga Forest, Bonny Island, troops destroyed 10 illegal refining sites, 15 cooking pots, and two massive reservoirs containing over 70,000 litres of stolen crude.
They also seized a heavy-duty generator, three storage tanks, and a 200-meter-long hose used for siphoning crude.
Elsewhere in Oloma, three suspects were intercepted with a wooden boat carrying over 10,000 litres of stolen products. In Karakarma, four illegal refineries and four boats were destroyed, along with the seizure of 9,600 litres of crude oil.
A significant discovery was made in Obio Akpor, where four GP tanks disguised as a bakery were found storing over 9,500 litres of stolen crude.
In Degema LGA’s Bille and Kumbufari Creeks, additional illegal refineries were dismantled, yielding 9,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
At Ebocha in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, troops seized a large metal oven drum, hoses, and a reservoir with over 6,000 litres of stolen crude.
Other seizures were made in Omoku, Joinkrama 4 in Ahoada West, and Karakarma Community in Degema.
In Delta State, a truck transporting over 35,000 litres of stolen products was intercepted. At Opumami in Warri South, five wooden boats were seized, each loaded with 4,000 litres of crude oil.
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Additionally, three active illegal refineries with 3,000 litres of stolen crude were shut down at Obodo Omadino Community.
Bayelsa State also saw significant operations, where troops overpowered resistance and recovered over 12,000 litres of stolen crude and 9,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO).
At Biseni in Yenagoa LGA, four refining sites were destroyed, and 18 metal oven tanks, along with over 5,800 litres of crude and 200 litres of AGO, were seized.
A major interception occurred along the Biseni-Samabiri road, where troops recovered a Toyota Sequoia Jeep loaded with 1,750 litres of illegally refined AGO stored in sacks.
Additionally, two residential buildings, whose occupants fled upon sighting the troops, were found to contain over 4,000 litres of AGO.
In Akwa Ibom, security forces intercepted over 5,600 litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) concealed in large jerricans at Oron LGA, believed to be prepared for smuggling across the border.
Commending the troops for their efforts, the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, urged them to sustain pressure on criminal networks.
He warned those involved in illegal oil activities to abandon their operations and seek legitimate livelihoods or face severe consequences.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to combating oil theft, protecting national resources, and ensuring stability in the Niger Delta region.