15 people have been arrested by Nigerian army troops in connection with alleged illicit oil bunkering and theft in the Niger Delta.
According to a statement released on Monday by Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, the operations were recently conducted in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers.
During operations, the army dismantled 32 artisanal refineries, captured 14 boats, and arrested 15 people, according to Danjuma.
He added that no fewer than 60,000 liters of different petroleum products were seized by the army during the operations, which took place between January 6 and 12.
The operations were part of a larger joint effort with other security agencies to fight oil theft in the Niger Delta, according to the spokesman.
Soldiers dismantled seven illicit refining stations, seized 20,000 liters of crude oil, and destroyed two boats during the raid, which started in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers, according to Danjuma.
Together with recovering over 19,000 liters of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River, we also shut down ten illegal refineries, a number of crude oil cooking pots, and receivers.
Our troops detained three suspects after stopping three boats in Odagwa, Etche, that were transporting over 12,000 liters of stolen crude oil.
In Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo, he continued, “similar operations were carried out.”
According to him, the soldiers moved on to Nkisa in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they seized 1,200 liters of tainted diesel and 1,600 liters of crude oil.
A Toyota vehicle carrying an estimated 1,200 liters of stolen condensate was stopped by the army along Ndoni Road, according to Danjuma.
According to the statement, the forces in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, demolished two illicit refineries, confiscated 1,500 liters of stolen crude oil, and arrested five individuals.
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A wooden boat transporting at least 1,500 liters of stolen crude oil was captured by our soldiers in Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, and an illegal artisanal refinery was demolished.
In a similar vein, an illicit refinery in the Nembe, Bayelsa, towns of Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri that contained an unknown amount of stolen petroleum products was shut down.
He stated, “The operations proceeded in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops kept a firm presence and successfully prevented economic saboteurs from operating freely.”
