Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in conjunction with other security agencies, have announced a breakthrough in their ongoing war against economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.
The troops destroyed over 56 illegal oil bunkering sanctuaries, 88 cooking drums, 20 boats and recovered 1.2million litres of stolen crude in their various operations in the region.
The Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, confirmed the arrest of 17 suspected oil thieves, interception of seven vehicles, discovery of six illegal connection points and destruction of five motorcycles used for perpetrating economic sabotage across the region.
Danjuma said in Bayelsa State, at an abandoned Oando wellhead situated in Okordia Forest, Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA), 15 illegal refining sites were deactivated with over 755,000 litres of stolen crude as well as over 53,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) recovered.
He said around Biseni Forest in Yenagoa LGA, 12 illegal refining sites with over 34,000 litres of stolen crude as well 5,500 litres of illegally refined AGO were confiscated.
He said in Rivers State, around Kula I, general area in Akuku-Toru LGA, troops discovered one illegal connection on 36 inches Government pipeline, with three inches hose connected on it, used as a loading point by oil thieves.
He said: “This was in addition to a ground reservoir of 80 by 80 tarpaulin stocked with over 100,000 litres of stolen products recovered during the operations.
“The operation was also extended to Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, where an abandoned truck ladened with 35,000 litres of stolen crude stocked in a fabricated tank and concealed with bags of sawdust was uncovered.
“Relatedly, around Bakana and Buguma general area in Degema LGA, eight illegal refining sites with over 27,000 litres of stolen crude were confiscated.“
