The Nigerian Army’s 6 Division has intensified its fight against illegal oil activities in the Niger Delta. In a large-scale operation carried out between February 3 and 9, troops dismantled 24 illegal refineries, arrested 29 suspected oil thieves, and seized over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
The operation, conducted in collaboration with other security agencies, covered multiple states in the region. Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Jonah Danjuma, issued a statement on Monday in Port Harcourt detailing the efforts made by the military.
“In the latest crackdown on illegal oil bunkering, troops of the 6 Division, working alongside other security agencies, successfully apprehended 29 suspected oil thieves, deactivated 24 illegal refining sites, demobilised 11 boats, and recovered over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products,” the statement read.
Troops focused their efforts along the Imo River, where six illegal refining sites were dismantled. During the raid, they destroyed 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers and seized two boats. Over 18,000 litres of stolen petroleum products were also recovered.
In Rivers State, a hidden reservoir in Obigbo was uncovered, containing over 1,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 100 sacks filled with about 1,500 litres of illegally refined products. Similarly, in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, soldiers raided an illegal refining site with two large refining pots and two receivers, one of which contained over 9,000 litres of stolen crude.
In Ebocha Well 5, troops found 28 empty locally made ovens and reservoirs filled with 5,900 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 3,500 litres of stolen crude. They also discovered 37 sacks containing over 2,220 litres of illegally refined AGO, while one suspect was arrested at the site.
The crackdown extended to Kumufari Creek in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, where an illegal refining site was found along with a 200-metre hose connected to a reservoir containing more than 1,500 litres of stolen petroleum products.
In Delta State, acting on intelligence, troops confiscated over 2,800 litres of stolen crude in Okpai Oluchi, Ndokwa East Local Government Area. The stolen products were found in 70 sacks near a pipeline owned by SEEPCO Energy Company.
A separate incident in Isoko South Local Government Area saw a suspected oil thief abandon a Sienna bus, registered as Lagos APP 89 CV, loaded with 15 sacks of illegally refined AGO before fleeing the scene.
The army also targeted illegal refining sites in Bayelsa State. Troops destroyed two sites located at the border between Joinkrama 4 in Yenagoa Local Government Area and Okarki in Ahoada West Local Government Area. Additionally, they intercepted 2,500 litres of AGO in sacks near Biseni at the River Niger bank, as well as in Akpedi community and Akinima.
