Nigerian Army Arrests 43 Oil Thieves, Destroys 27 Illegal Refineries in Massive Niger Delta Crackdown
Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have intensified their crackdown on oil theft and pipeline vandalism across the Niger Delta, arresting 43 suspected oil thieves, dismantling 27 illegal refineries, and recovering over 161,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, detailed the scope of the multi-state operations, which spanned Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Delta States.
Bayelsa State: Major Recovery at Zarama-Joinkrama, Yenagoa
In Bayelsa, troops uncovered an illegal connection point at Wellhead 10 along Zarama-Joinkrama 4. Follow-up operations led to the destruction of:
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5 cooking ovens
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5 reservoirs
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5 dugout pits
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A generator
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30,000 litres of stolen crude
In Biseni community, Yenagoa LGA, two illegal connection points linked to refining sites were discovered, alongside a cache of materials including:
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19 big pots
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18 drum pots
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36 receivers
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Over 4,000 litres of AGO
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27,600 litres of stolen crude stored in 460 sacks
At Luka Creek, Lagosgbene (Southern Ijaw LGA), over 1,500 litres of stolen products were recovered, while 71 large and 30 small pipes, a 40HP engine, and a wooden boat were found in Tamogbene.
Rivers State: Over 27,000 Litres of PMS Intercepted
Troops intercepted a fibre boat, a wooden boat, and a barge containing over 27,000 litres of stolen Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
At Dorger Land, Okrika LGA, a boat carrying 18,980 litres of PMS was seized, with three suspects arrested.
Additional busts occurred at Okarki Forest, Banana Creek, and Abua/Odual LGA, where another illegal site was dismantled and over 3,000 litres of crude recovered.
A truck loaded with 3,000 litres of crude concealed in sacks was intercepted at Oyigbo, while 2,700 litres of illegal DPK were seized at Omoku.
Akwa Ibom State: Arrests on Transit
One suspect was nabbed at Ekparakwa, Ikot Abasi-Oruk Anam LGA with 1,900 litres of AGO stashed in 63 nylon bags inside an Infinity Jeep (APR 105 KX, Abia).
Two others were arrested on Abak-Ikot Abasi road in a Toyota Camry (UJ 804 KJA, Lagos) with 840 litres of PMS stocked in 31 nylon bags.
Delta State: Crackdown in Warri, Sapele
In Warri South LGA, two boats containing 3,600 litres of stolen crude stored in 120 cellophane bags were found near Obodo, Ugbukoko, Jatumi, and Obofo Oil Fields.
At Bennett Ogboloja, two illegal refining sites with ovens and a shop stocked with 500 litres of AGO were shut down.
In Sapele LGA, four suspects were arrested at Urakpa Gana waterside with 1,800 litres of condensates. Two vehicles (GWA 312 KZ and WWR 675 JU) loaded with 1,630 litres of condensates in 47 sacks were also seized.
Army Vows to Sustain Momentum
Lt. Col. Danjuma affirmed the Army’s commitment to protecting national assets and eradicating oil theft, noting that the operations were conducted in synergy with other security agencies and stakeholders.
“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its mission to secure critical infrastructure and bring economic saboteurs to justice,” he said.
