The troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in partnership with other security agencies have apprehended 29 suspected oil thieves and recovered over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in the Niger Delta region.
The troops also destroyed 24 illegal refineries and demobilized eleven boats used by oil thieves to evacuate their stolen products.
Confirming the development, the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt Col Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the troops in a clearance operation conducted along the Imo River, deactivated six illegal refining sites and destroyed 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers.
He said the troops demobilized two boats and recovered 18,000 litres of stolen products adding that around Asa in Obigbo Local Government Area (LGA), troops uncovered a reservoir with over 1,000 litres of stolen products as well as 100 sacks filled with over 1,500 litres of stolen crude.
“The operations were conducted at different times around Okoloma, Obuzor, Lekuma, Abiama, Asa and Ukwa general areas. Similarly, in Buguma general area, in Asari-Toru LGA, one illegal refining site, with two big pots as well as two receivers, with one stocked with over 9,000 litres of stolen crude were handled appropriately”, Danjuma said.
He said around Ebocha Well 5, troops swooped on an active illegal refining site with 28 empty locally made ovens, reservoirs filled with 5,900 and 3,500 illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) and stolen crude respectively.
He said also recovered at the site were 37 sacks filled with over 2, 220 litres of illegally refined AGO adding that one suspected oil thief was apprehended at the scene. (TheNation)