…Arrest 24 oil thieves
Chuks Oyema-Aziken
In continuation of its reinvigorated anti-bunkering operations, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) have destroyed 109 illegal refining sites and arrested 24 oil thieves in the last two weeks.
Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Bernard Onyeuko, stated this during a media briefing in Abuja.
He said that over N2.7 billion stolen crude comprising over Four Million litres of crude oil, Two Million litres of AGO and Thirty Thousand litres of DPK was recovered by the troops.
He said the soldiers from Operation DELTA SAFE, also discovered and destroyed 34 wooden boats, 150 storage tanks, 119 ovens, 104 dugout pits, 27 pumping machines, 1 weapon, 1 speed boat, 13 vehicles and seven outboard engines.
Onyeuko, said the soldiers achieved the feat while on operation OCTOPUS GRIP conducted in creeks, towns and communities in the Niger Delta region of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers State.
“In compliance with its mandate of safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Maritime environment, the Nigerian Navy Ship OKPABANA of Operation Delta Safe on 5 July 2022 responded to a distress message and in a swift reaction located and rescued a 16 meters surfer passenger boat MV NUE SWIFT belonging to a Lagos based oil service company. The boat had lost her propelling ability at Agbara Platform while transiting from Forcados to Bonny Mooring and drifted for 32 hours before being rescued by own troops. Accordingly, the crew and the boat were handed over to the Forward Operations Base Bonny on 6 July 2022.
“In the same vein, troops of Operation DELTA SAFE on operation OCTOPUS GRIP conducted operational activities in creeks, towns and communities in the Niger Delta region of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers State. In the cause of conducting anti illegal oil refining operations, troops discovered and destroyed 109 illegal refining sites, 34 wooden boats, 150 storage tanks, 119 ovens, 104 dugout pits.
“Cumulatively, within the period under review troops recovered 27 pumping machines, 1 weapon, 1 speed boat, 13 vehicles, 7 outboard engine, Four Million Three Hundred Thirty Nine Thousand (4,339,000) litres of crude oil, Two Million Fifty One Thousand (2,051,000) litres of AGO and Thirty Thousand (30,000)litres of DPK. Troops also arrested 24 economic saboteurs. All recovered items and apprehended oil thieves were handed over to the appropriate authorities.
“Troops in the South West zone of the Country have continued to fight crime and clamped down on smugglers in the border area of the zone. On 3 July 2022, troops on joint border patrol recovered 61 (Sixty One) 25 litres jerricans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and intercepted 2 vehicles loaded with 163 fifty kilograms of foreign rice along Ifo-Abeokuta in Ifo Local Government Area and ijimu – Tata in Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State. All recovered items were handover to the Nigerian Custom Service, Abeokuta.”
