Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, working with other security agencies, have dismantled 14 illegal refining sites, arrested over 71 suspects, and seized more than 33,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in a sustained crackdown across the Niger Delta.
Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, revealed in a statement that the operations, carried out between 21 July and 10 August, targeted oil thieves and other criminal elements in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta States.
In Rivers State, along Kilometre 45 in Degema Local Government Area, troops shut down two refining sites, recovering over 22,500 litres of stolen crude oil and disabling two wooden boats used in the operation. In Bayelsa, a raid in Nembe uncovered 16 jerricans of stolen products hidden in a store, while another in Biseni, Yenagoa, led to the seizure of over 1,200 litres of stolen oil.
In Delta State, soldiers intercepted a vehicle at Omuseti junction, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, carrying 31 jerricans of stolen Automotive Gasoline Oil.
Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, General Officer Commanding 6 Division, praised local informants for their support and stressed that due diligence is applied to verify recovered products before taking further action. He assured that suspects are handed to the relevant agencies for prosecution and reaffirmed the Army’s resolve to eliminate oil theft and related crimes in the region.