The Nigerian Army has dismantled 21 illegal refining sites and confiscated 190,000 litres of stolen products in the Niger Delta region of the country.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director, of 6 Division Army Public Relations, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, January 5, 2025, said troops also arrested 11 suspected oil thieves.
“Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, have scaled up the ongoing strangulation operations aimed at dismantling the network of criminal enterprise run by oil thieves in the Niger Delta Region (NDR),” the statement read.
“In the operations conducted across the joint operations area, 20 illegal refining sites were destroyed, Eleven suspected oil thieves were arrested, 31 boats used for transporting stolen products destroyed, Seven vehicles intercepted with over 190,000 litres of stolen products recovered. The operations were conducted from 30 December 2024 – 5 January 2025.
“In a deliberate operations conducted around Oando wellhead at Benkrukru at Okordia general area in Yenagoa, Local Government Area (LGA), Four oil sewage were discovered. The sewage were filled with over 70,000 litres of stolen crude. Additionally, one sunction machine and about 700 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil ( AGO) packed in sacks were recovered.
“Relatedly, at Amalaghakiri general area in Nembe LGA, two illegal refining sites were taken out, with over 15,000 litres of stolen products confiscated. While at Oyeregbene in Southern Ijaw LGA, one illegal refining site was destroyed with over 1,500 litres of stolen products handled appropriately.
“In Rivers State, around Omoku, troops closed on oil thieves, who fled in disarray on sighting troops. Further exploitation led to the discovery of an illegal connection point on Oando Pipeline, around Ebocha with four boats ladened with over 22,000 litres of stolen products recovered.
“At Obiafu Oil field, in Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni LGA, wooden boats and dugout pits stocked with over 8,000 litres of stolen products were handled. Around Mgbede, 4 illegal refining sites, five wooden boats, 108 locally made ovens, several tanks with over 31,000 litres of stolen products were recovered. At the fringes of the Imo River, over 13,000 litres of stolen products were recovered with 2 illegal refining sites destroyed, 32 drums pots, 21 drum receivers, two pumping machines amongst several other ancillary equipment were also destroyed around Ozaa West, Obuzor and Okoloma areas.
“Similarly, in Delta State, troops on routine patrol along Pan Ocean Nigeria Limited Pipeline within Ivade in Ethiope West LGA intercepted vehicles involved in illicit activities. Two J5 Boxer vehicles with Reg Nos AB 5980 J and Delta Bkw 593 XA with over 150 cellphone bags stocked with over 7,500 litres of stolen products were intercepted. Other seizures estimated to be about 2,500 litres of crude oil were effected at Ikengbensi waterways in Isoko South LGA. While in Akwa Ibom State, troops intercepted Eight drums of 280 litres stocked with premium motor spirit, estimated to be 2,240 litres at Ibaka beach. The products were suspected to be primed for smuggling to a neighbouring country.
“The General Officer Commanding 6 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, while commending troops for their resilience, charged them to redouble their efforts. This, he maintained will create an enabling environment for socio-economic activities to go on unhindered in the region.”
