Nigerian Army has arrested 28 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta, as part of its ongoing efforts to curb crude oil theft in the region.
The operation, conducted by troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, took place between October 6 and 19.
During the exercise, four illegal refining sites were deactivated and over 290,000 litres of stolen petroleum products were seized across the region.
A statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the operations were carried out in Rivers, Abia, Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States.
In Rivers State, at Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area, “two wooden boats were intercepted while loading Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, from a vessel offloading the product at a jetty.”
One of the boats contained over 33,000 litres of stolen products, while another carried more than 5,000 litres.
Still in Rivers State, following a tip-off, troops impounded a tanker coming out of the pipeline’s right of way “around a pipeline after Sterling Global Company Road, Akpabo, at Elele Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area.”
According to Danjuma, “The vehicle was suspected to have loaded about 90,000 litres of stolen products from the site. Two suspects, the driver and his motor boy, were taken into custody. Also, at Okolomade in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, over 2,600 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered.”
He added, “Along Imo River, troops deactivated two illegal refining sites and seized three drum pots, three receivers and over 2,500 litres of stolen crude around Obuzor, Asa Asa in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State. At Orashi River waterside, two wooden boats were intercepted with over 700 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene recovered. Six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.”
In Delta State, troops arrested one suspect after his accomplices fled upon sighting the army during an operation along PAN Ocean Pipeline right of way in Ethiope East Local Government Area.
The army seized “vandalised pipes, hoses, a large quantity of Bagco sacks and leather materials. Others include one Peugeot 406 car, a Camry car, one Toyota Jeep, as well as a van loaded with over 1,650 litres of stolen products.”
Troops on pipeline surveillance at Umusan-Obodogwa in Ndokwa West Local Government Area also intercepted a Mercedes-Benz truck “with registration number Enugu VE 174 ENU conveying 24 pieces of 14-inch pipes and three gas cylinders. Two persons were arrested.”
The statement noted that the pipes may have been vandalised from SEPCO Oil and Gas pipeline at Kwale.
“Furthermore, around Eruemukohwarien in Ughelli North Local Government Area, a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Delta PTN 926 XA was intercepted, loaded with ten drums filled with 2,500 litres of condensates.
“The driver was arrested. In Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States, troops have scaled up kinetic and non-kinetic operations, effectively dominating the operational landscape and thereby denying criminal elements the freedom of action.”
The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 6 Division, Major-General Emmanuel Emekah, commended the troops for their efforts and urged them to sustain the momentum in clamping down on “economic saboteurs” in the Niger Delta region.
