Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, have dismantled 21 illegal refineries and arrested 36 suspected oil thieves as part of an intensified crackdown on oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta Region.
The operations also led to the confiscation of over 591,000 litres of stolen petroleum products, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma.
Highlighting one of the key operations, Danjuma revealed that troops uncovered a massive illegal operation around the Orashi Game Reserve and Okolomade area in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Danjuma said they traced a hose spanning more than 15 kilometers, connected to an illegal loading point used for siphoning crude oil.
He said in a follow-up operations, five illegal refining sites with a large metal tank loaded with over 350,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) were handled inline with subsisting operational mandate.
“These were in addition to a large ovens, with a massive dugout, filled over 100,000 litres of stolen crude handled appropriately. Several items, including a pumping machine, borehole, electric cables and sockets were recovered at the scene”, he said.
Danjuma said at the fringes of the notorious Imo River, troops destroyed seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 1,428 bags of stolen products estimated to be over 21,500 litres of crude, demobilized five boats used for the illicit venture, with 38 drum pots and 15 drum receivers destroyed.
He said in similar operations conducted, troops intercepted a truck with registration number EFR 302 XA at Elelenwa, Eleme LGA, loaded with 20,000 litres of stolen products.
He said at Otokolomabie and Coconut Estate in Bonny LGA, following local intelligence, troops discovered a boat hidden in the creeks, filled with over 10,000 litres of stolen products.
Danjuma said at Okarki Forest in Ahoada West LGA, an illegal refining site, consisting of an oven, receiver waste pit and a 50 meters long hose were destroyed by the troops.
In Bayelsa State, the said the troops intercepted a DAF XF380 Tanker truck with Registration number ABM 210 XA Rivers State loaded with 45,000 litres of stolen AGO adding that three suspected oil thieves were apprehended with the truck.
“Likewise, in a creek between Oyeregbene and Babragbene communities in Southern Ijaw LGA, a wooden boat loaded with over 1,000 litres of stolen crude was concealed in the creek”, he said.
Danjuma said in Akwa Ibom State, acting on credible intelligence, troops intercepted a tanker truck with registration number DAM 97 XA suspected to be conveying over 16,500 litres of stolen crude at Ring Road 2 in Uyo LGA, but he said the driver of the vehicle left the engine running and fled on sighting the troops.
He explained that in Delta State around Ovrogbor waterside in Isoko South LGA, troops pursued two Toyota Camry vehicles with registration number WWR 542 AJ and GB JI 70 AA and intercepted them at Ada – Inri Community.
He said the vehicles were discovered to be conveying over 1,250 litres of illegally refined AGO adding that at Egbokodo general area in Warri South LGA, 38 sacks filled with over 1,175 litres of stolen crude were hidden in the bush.
He said: “Troops in snap checks at Koka general area in Oshimili South, LGA, intercepted a Honda vehicle with Registration number AAA 289 BM. In a thorough search conducted on the vehicle, two locally fabricated pistols, a cutlass, cartridges and a sum of twenty five thousand one hundred (N25,100.00) only were recovered.
“All the suspects arrested were handed over to the relevant agency for prosecution, while seizures made were handled inline with operational mandate.”
