Troops have achieved a breakthrough in the fight against oil theft and related crimes in the Niger Delta Region (NDR), deactivating 31 illegal refining sites and confiscating over 212,000 litres of stolen products during joint operations conducted from March 3 to 9, 2025.
According to Acting Deputy Director 6 Division Army Public Relations Lieut. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, the operations, carried out with other security agencies, also led to the arrest of 29 suspected oil thieves and the demobilization of 26 boats used for illegal activities.
In Rivers State, troops conducted a decisive raid at Ogbonga Forest in Bonny Island Local Government Area (LGA), where they shut down 10 illegal refining sites and confiscated over 70,000 litres of stolen crude from two large reservoirs.
They also recovered three tanks filled with over 10,000 litres of stolen products and a 200-meter hose used for siphoning.
The items were strategically hidden under dense forest cover to evade aerial detection.
Elsewhere in Bonny Island LGA, troops intercepted a wooden boat carrying over 10,000 litres of stolen products and arrested three suspects.
At Karakarma, four illegal refining sites and four boats were destroyed, with over 9,600 litres of stolen crude seized.
Similar operations were executed in Rumuokwurusi – Elelenwo (Obio Akpor LGA), where four GP tanks holding over 9,500 litres of stolen crude disguised as a bakery were uncovered.
Further seizures were made at Bille and Kumbufari Creeks (Degema LGA), where several illegal refining sites and three wooden boats were dismantled, with over 9,000 litres of stolen products recovered.
In Delta State, troops intercepted a truck transporting over 35,000 litres of suspected stolen products. At Opumami (Warri South LGA), five wooden boats used for oil theft were destroyed, and 4,000 litres of stolen products were recovered.
Additional seizures were made at Obodo Omadino Community (Warri South LGA), where three active illegal refining sites were dismantled, with over 3,000 litres of stolen products confiscated.
Troops in Bayelsa State engaged suspected oil thieves in a gunfight, forcing the criminals to retreat.
In follow-up operations, over 12,000 litres of stolen crude and 9,000 litres of illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO) were seized.
Items recovered included seven wheelbarrows and one motorcycle.
At Biseni (Yenagoa LGA), four illegal refining sites were shut down, with 18 metal oven tanks, drums, and hoses confiscated.
Over 5,800 litres of stolen crude and 200 litres of AGO were recovered.
Along Biseni – Samabiri Road, a Toyota Sequoia Jeep loaded with 1,750 litres of illegally refined AGO was seized.
Additionally, over 4,000 litres of illegally refined AGO were found in two residential buildings whose occupants fled upon sighting troops.
In Akwa Ibom, troops intercepted over 5,600 litres of illegally refined premium motor spirit in 20 jerricans at Oron LGA, suspected to be prepared for smuggling across the border via waterways.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, commended the troops for their success and urged them to maintain pressure on economic saboteurs.
He warned criminals to abandon illegal activities or face the full weight of the law.
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