Troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered 1.2 million litres of stolen crude oil, dismantled 56 illegal refineries, and apprehended 17 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division, Jonah Danjuma, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
According to Danjuma, the troops also destroyed 88 cooking drums and 20 boats used for illicit activities across four states: Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom.
He noted that the operations, conducted between 25th November and 1st December 2024, led to the deactivation of 56 illegal oil bunkering sites.
Crackdown on Economic Sabotage
“Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, have intensified anti-illegal bunkering operations across the Niger Delta region, achieving significant results,” the statement read.
“The operations, conducted from 25th November to 1st December 2024, resulted in the deactivation of over 56 illegal oil bunkering sites, destruction of 88 cooking drums and 20 boats, and the recovery of over 1.2 million litres of stolen crude oil.
“In addition, 17 suspected oil thieves were arrested, seven vehicles intercepted, six illegal pipeline connections discovered, and five motorcycles used for economic sabotage dismantled.”
Operations by State
In Rivers State, around Kula I in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area (LGA), troops uncovered an illegal connection on a 36-inch government pipeline and seized 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil from a ground reservoir. In Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, an abandoned truck containing 35,000 litres of stolen crude was recovered. In Degema LGA, eight illegal refining sites were dismantled, with 27,000 litres of stolen crude seized and three suspects arrested.
In Bayelsa State, troops dismantled 15 illegal refining sites in Okordia Forest, Yenagoa LGA, recovering over 755,000 litres of stolen crude and 53,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO). In Biseni Forest, 12 illegal sites were deactivated, with 34,000 litres of stolen crude and 5,500 litres of AGO confiscated.
In Delta State, at Ugo Community in Edo State, troops recovered over 40,000 litres of stolen crude and arrested one suspect, who led them to a bunkering site. Additionally, in Warri South LGA, they seized 2,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and apprehended four suspects.
In Akwa Ibom State, troops intercepted 5,580 litres of petroleum motor spirit (PMS) at Enwang Bridge as smugglers attempted to transport the product to a neighbouring country.
Increased Operations
Danjuma attributed these successes to the intensification of efforts against illegal oil bunkering, with a series of coordinated raids on bunkering sites conducted across the four states during the operation period.