Troops arrest suspected oil thieves, seize barge, boats in ongoing Niger Delta operations

Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have intensified their crackdown on illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, seizing over 280,000 litres of stolen crude, dismantling 63 illegal oil bunkering sites, and arresting seven suspected oil thieves in recent operations.

In a statement, Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said acting on credible intelligence, troops intercepted a large wooden boat siphoning an estimated 198,000 litres of crude from a barge at an NNPC flow station in Cawthorne Channel I, leading to the arrest of five suspects and the seizure of a barge, tugboat, and three speedboats.

In Rivers State and ƙ Abia State, troops discovered multiple illegal connection points along the Imo River, including sites at Isimiri, Obiakpu, Owaza, and Uzuaku villages

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They also uncovered illegal refining sites, reservoirs, and wooden boats containing over 13,000 litres of stolen crude, which were destroyed in ongoing clearance operations.

At Alakiri in Okrika LGA, troops dismantled four illegal refining sites and destroyed equipment including ovens, storage tanks, and hoses containing 29,000 litres of stolen crude.

Additional operations along the Omoku-Elele road and in Asari Toru LGA resulted in the seizure of sacks of suspected condensates and the destruction of refining sites, cooking ovens, and reservoirs containing over 4,000 litres of stolen products.

In Bayelsa State, operations targeted illegal refining activities in Southern Ijaw and Kolokuma/Okpokuma LGAs, leading to the destruction of multiple sites and the confiscation of thousands of litres of stolen crude. Notably, over 1,400 litres of illegally refined products were discovered in a residential building, resulting in the arrest of a suspect.

Troops also thwarted an attempt to vandalize a gas pipeline at Okpai community in Delta State and dismantled illegal refining operations in Warri South LGA, confiscating over 10,000 litres of stolen crude.

Major General Jamal Abdussalam, General Officer Commanding 6 Division, praised the troops for their efforts and stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on oil thieves to secure the region and protect critical oil infrastructure.

He affirmed the army’s commitment to creating a safe environment for lawful exploration activities by oil companies in the Niger Delta.