Army arrests 14 oil thieves, confiscates 20,205 litres of stolen crude

Operatives of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt and in synergy with other security agencies have arrested 14 suspected oil thieves and confiscated 20,205 of stolen petroleum products. This was as the security agencies say they have intensified their onslaught against oil thieves in the Niger Delta Region. 

The Acting Deputy Director 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Danjuma, disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt, Monday. Danjuma noted that the success was recorded in different operation conducted in different parts of the oil rich region between the October 20 and November 9, adding that the operations also resulted in the dismantling of 14 illegal refining hubs.

 He said “in Rivers State, along the fringes of the Imo River, troops deactivated six illegal refining sites, destroyed fourteen drum pots and nine drum receivers, as well as confiscated over 8,000 litres of stolen products. The recoveries were made around Asa, Okonta, and Okoloma in Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, and Obuzor in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.

“Similarly, in Delta State, around Eruemukohwarien in Ughelli North LGA, troops arrested three suspected oil thieves and impounded a J5 bus and one motorcycle, recovering over 4,000 litres of condensate. Also, at Bipoko Community in Warri South LGA, troops discovered an active illegal refining site with a cooking oven and thirty-eight sacks filled with over 1,140 litres of stolen crude oil. In Akwa Ibom State, following actionable intelligence, troops intercepted a truck while transloading Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) from an underground storage facility at Olive Field Filling Station along the Uyo–Ikot Ekpene Road in Ikot Ekpene LGA.

The truck was loaded with over 3,287 litres of illegally refined AGO. In Bayelsa State, troops also sustained operations against economic saboteurs. All the suspects arrested, as well as the confiscated products, were handled in line with the subsisting operational mandate.”