The Nigerian Army, 6 Division, reported that 22 suspects had been taken into custody in the states of Rivers and Bayelsa, and that its forces, working with other security agencies, had destroyed roughly 115 illegal refining plants and 66 vessels.
The Army further reported that over 170,000 stolen goods were seized, along with additional auxiliary components that had been deactivated, and that a total of 27 stolen pipes and four pumping machines had been found.
Additionally, five unlawful connections that the suspects had been using to syphon off crude oil had been clamped.
The acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, announced this in a statement published in Port Harcourt on Sunday and communicated to newsmen.
He said, “In several operations conducted simultaneously last week, troops have effectively denied criminal elements and economic saboteurs freedom of action with tremendous successes recorded.
“Over 115 illegal refining sites, 66 boats destroyed, 22 suspects arrested, 27 stolen pipes, four pumping machines recovered, five illegal connections clamped and over 170,000 stolen products confiscated in addition to other ancillary items deactivated.
“In Bayelsa State, troops of the division conducted operations around the swampy Ibidi general area, Twon Brass, Agip Terminal in the Brass Local Government Area, where one illegal refining site, one generator, one pumping machine, one reservoir as well as one large wooden boat with stolen illegally refined products estimated to be over 90,000 litres was intercepted.
“Also, in the Southern Ijaw LGA, around Igbomotoru, two illegal refining sites, one wooden boat as well as over 2,000 products were confiscated. In the same LGA, around Opotoma and Isinugbene, troops deactivated two illegal refining sites and confiscated over 2,500 litres of stolen crude.
“Similarly, at Oyenegbene also in the Southern Ijaw LGA, four illegal refining sites, two wooden boats, and pumping machines were recovered, in addition to over 2,500 litres of stolen crude confiscated.
“At Okarki forest, one illegal artisanal refinery was destroyed with over 5,000 stolen crude confiscated.
“In Rivers State, troops of the division also dominated the operations environment, with footprints of operational successes. At the notorious Imo River, over 79 illegal refining sites, 59 wooden boats were destroyed, with over 40,000 stolen products recovered.
“These recoveries were in addition to other ancillary items deactivated at the sites. Additionally, troops acting on credible intelligence, on the activities of vandals at an installation owned by Webster Global ventures limited, close to Cawthorne Channel II, flow station in Degemay LGA, mobilised to the site and arrested four suspects.
“The suspects were arrested with a wooden boat laden with scraps and parts of the installation pipes suspected to have been stolen.”
Troops observed an attempt to reactivate an earlier destroyed site at the Ebocha oil field around Krakarma in the Bille general area of Degema. In that operation, three illegal refining sites were destroyed and products estimated to be worth over 3,000 litres were confiscated.
“Troops also closed on oil thieves at Odagwa in Etche LGA, where several illegal connection points were identified and clamped. This was in addition to two drum pots, one pumping machine hidden in the swamp, one oven, two receivers, and three dugout pits were deactivated with over 2,000 litres of stolen crude recovered.
“In Ondoni, Onne LGA, troops intercepted two suspects conveying 27 suspected vandalised Nigerian Agip Oil Company pipes in a Daina pickup truck with Reg No Ebm 126 XA RI. Also, at Krakarma and Bille general area in Degema, four illegal refining sites were destroyed, and six suspected oil thieves were arrested.
“The same feat was recorded at Ogbogolo forest in Ahoada East, where seven illegal refining sites were destroyed with over 2,000 litres of stolen products handled appropriately.”
Maj. Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army’s 6th Division, asked soldiers to maintain zero tolerance for illicit artisanal refinery operations and related crimes in the Niger Delta area.
Abdussalam called on important players to step up, especially the communities that allow these unlawful activities to flourish, citing the severe consequences that these crimes have had on both the local community and the country’s economy.
