Military foils oil theft worth over N20bn

THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of Operation DELTA SAFE thwarted illegal activities amounting to over N20 billion in three months, during crackdowns on oil theft operations.

This was disclosed by Edward Buba, director of Defence Media Operations, during a recent press briefing in Abuja, on military operations from January to March 2024.

Buba said efforts by the troops led to the destruction of numerous illegal refining sites and the recovery of stolen products worth N20.33 billion in three months.

“Throughout the operation, troops conducted offensive manoeuvres across various regions, including Southern Ijaw and Akpabuyo LGAS of Bayelsa and Cross River states, as well as Ughelli South and North LGAS of Delta State.”

Among the items recovered were 565,200 litres of stolen crude oil, 22,500 litres of illegally refined AGO, 1,050 litres of DPK, and 8,000 litres of PMS.

He said troops also discovered and demolished six dugout pits, seized 33 boats, and dismantled 18 storage tanks.

“The operation also led to the confiscation of 25 cooking ovens, 3 vehicles, and the closure of 16 illegal refining sites”, he noted.

According to Buba, bolstering their success, troops conducted offensive operations in targeted areas, resulting in the arrest of 7 suspects and the rescue of kidnapped hostages.

During these operations, a cache of weapons and ammunition was seized, including two dane guns, one fabricated pistol, 69 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, and 200 cartridges concealed in a bacco bag beneath a demolished structure.

The operations led to the arrest of 25 suspected oil thieves and violent extremists, with 10 weapons and 269 assorted ammunition recovered.