Troops arrest 49 suspected oil thieves, destroy 22 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

Troops of Operation Delta Safe have arrested 49 suspected oil thieves and destroyed 22 illegal refining sites in the last week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, disclosed this in a weekly report of ongoing military operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

Kangye said the troops during the week foiled oil theft worth an estimated sum of N869.2 million.

The breakdown, according to him, showed that 325,990 litres of stolen crude oil, 24,645 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 19,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 1,600 litres of engine oil were recovered.

He said: “Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 dugout pits, 25 boats, a speedboat, 18 storage tanks, 316 drums and 22 illegal refining sites.

“Other items recovered include generator set, jack, galvanised pipes, pumping machines, drilling machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones and 18 vehicles.”

Kangye said the military, in collaboration with other security agencies, had continued to demonstrate bravery, discipline, and professionalism in the face of evolving security threats.

He added that the troops killed several suspected terrorists, rescued hostages, arrested suspects, and recovered arms and ammunition during the week.

“Our operations have continued across various theatres of operations comprising the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and other regions where criminals seek to disrupt peace and stability.

“Troops remain committed to their constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Nigeria, as well as ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.

“Between April 3 and April 10, troops recovered huge quantities of assorted arms, including various kinds of machine guns, RPG tubes, automatic weapons, as well as locally fabricated guns and Improvised Explosive Devices.

“Additionally, a huge cache of assorted 7.62mm and 9mm ammunition, as well as live cartridges were also recovered,” the spokesman added.

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