The Defence Headquarters said, on Thursday, that troops in the last two weeks intercepted stolen crude worth N1.2bn.
This was in response to its pledge to prevent terrorists from carrying out small-scale assaults against soft targets.
Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director, Defence Media Operations, stated this on Thursday in Abuja while updating journalists on the military’s activities over the last two weeks.
He said, “The ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations have prevented these evil elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives. The military will continue to degrade their ability to carry out small-scale attacks which are intended to create panic in localities.”
He also said troops during their operations killed 73 terrorists, arrested 182, and rescued 68 hostages in one week.
The director said troops identified and destroyed 63 illegal refining sites containing 15 dugout pits, 45 boats, 87 storage tanks, 128 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, four outboard engines and arrested 14 suspected oil thieves.
Buba said the troops recovered 962,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 35,420 litres of illegally refined AGO, 38,450 litres of DPK, and 45,000 litres of PMS with an estimated value of N1, 212,046,140.
Troops also recovered 119 assorted weapons and 1,537 assorted ammunitions in the period under review.