Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, in collaboration with other security agencies, have successfully dismantled 37 illegal refinery sites across the Niger Delta.
The operations, aimed at curbing oil theft and illegal refining, also resulted in the interception of 12 boats, nine vehicles, motorcycles, and the arrest of eight suspects. Over 230,000 liters of stolen crude oil and refined products were recovered.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division, detailed the military’s recent operations. He explained that in Abesa, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, the troops uncovered and destroyed an illegal refining site where they also seized 9,000 liters of stolen Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
In another major breakthrough, they intercepted a large wooden boat loaded with over 120,000 liters of stolen crude.
Further south, at Eteo Setraco Junction in Eleme LGA, troops uncovered an illegal connection to a facility with high fences, revealing a criminal loading point where tanker trucks were being filled with stolen crude oil. This led to the recovery of more than 40,000 liters of stolen products and the arrest of five security guards involved in the operation.
The operation has been a significant blow to illegal refining activities, with Danjuma confirming that at least 30 additional illegal refining sites were destroyed in a separate operation in Imo Riverside. These sites had 44 makeshift cooking pots, six wooden boats, and a small tanker barge, collectively containing over 20,000 liters of stolen crude.
The illegal operations were located around areas like Assa, Lekuma, Abiama, Okoloma, Oha-Obu, Ikwuriator East, and Southern Ukanafun 1, including along the Oyigbo and Obuzor creeks.
In another instance, along Bolo Onne creeks, troops dismantled an inactive refining site containing a complex setup including an oven, receivers, and hoses. At Omoku-Elele Road, the troops intercepted a vehicle, a Golf wagon, registered as SSM 248 TH from Abia State, found transporting 17 sacks filled with stolen condensates, amounting to approximately 1,200 liters. The driver abandoned the vehicle upon sighting the soldiers.
Troops also reported notable success in Krakrama, Asari-Toru LGA, where they destroyed an illegal refining site and seized two locally made boats loaded with over 13,000 liters of stolen oil products.
Meanwhile, along the Egi River in Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema LGA, troops uncovered and destroyed another illegal refining site, seizing 12 drums, sacks, two wooden boats, and over 3,500 liters of stolen crude.
In Ekeremor LGA, soldiers destroyed three illegal refining sites and confiscated a wooden boat filled with over 7,000 liters of stolen crude, in addition to 3,000 liters of AGO. Based on intelligence reports, the troops intercepted another wooden boat in the Well 15 Tunu area, loaded with over 2,000 liters of AGO.
At Golubokiri in Nembe LGA, Bayelsa State, an illegal refining site was dismantled, and more than 2,500 liters of stolen crude were seized. Similar operations were conducted in Southern Ijaw’s Ejie and Tubo creeks, where troops destroyed four wooden boats and confiscated over 5,000 liters of stolen products.
The army’s operations extended to Delta State, where they intercepted a Mack truck at Olomoro community, Isoko South LGA, which was equipped with a mounted hose used to steal crude oil from a Heritage Oil pipeline.
The criminals fled, abandoning the truck when they realized troops were closing in. Similarly, at the Opumami Oil Field in Warri South LGA, a wooden boat was intercepted as it attempted to steal crude oil from a wellhead.
In Akwa Ibom State, a suspect was apprehended following a tip-off. He was caught transporting 25 nylon bags filled with stolen AGO in a Toyota Camry with registration number BDG 376 GX along Abak Ukanafun in Abak LGA.
All suspects and confiscated products have been handled according to the law, with authorities praising the continued collaboration between military personnel and local communities.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, expressed gratitude for the efforts of the troops, emphasizing the need to maintain pressure on criminal elements in the region.
He urged soldiers to ensure the Niger Delta remains a hostile environment for economic saboteurs, allowing legitimate exploration activities to proceed without disruption.
Maj.-Gen. Abdussalam also called on local communities to support the military’s efforts by providing timely and accurate information on the activities of oil thieves and other criminal elements. This collective effort, he noted, would help safeguard the nation’s vital oil infrastructure and contribute to broader economic stability.
