Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in two weeks recovered products worth the sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Million Three Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Naira (N125,399,460.00) from crude oil thieves.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, disclosed this on Thursday during the biweekly briefing on the coordinated operations of the military and other security agencies, across all theatres in the federation.
He said that troops of Operation Delta Safe in the conduct of Operation Octopus Grip and other operations uncovered and deactivated no fewer than 39 illegal refining sites, in the Niger Delta, within two weeks.
General Danmadami also revealed that no fewer than 40 oil thieves were apprehended in different locations in the Niger Delta area, within the period under review.
He further noted that refining equipments, and petroleum products were equally recovered and destroyed.
He added that 48 cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dugout pits, 33 wooden boats, were also recovered, stressing that others include, 1 tugboat, 1 barge, 3 pumping machines, 3 speed boats and 13 vehicles.
Major General Danmadami said: “Additionally, troops recovered 274,000 litres of crude oil, 71,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 15 Ak47 rifles, while 40 suspected economic saboteurs were arrested. It is worth mentioning that the sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Million Three Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Naira (N125,399,460.00), only were denied oil thieves”.
He said, all recovered items and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.
The military spokesperson also disclosed that the air component of Operation Delta Safe conducted air interdiction to several illegal refining sites and creeks at Gogokiri Degema and Okrika Local Government Areas both in Rivers State.
The crew, he said, observed the sites to be active makeshift tents, where illegal refining activities were been carried out.
He said: “The targets were engaged with weapons and the locations were observed to have exploded in an inferno while the illegal refining equipment’s were also destroyed”.
On operational activities in Southeast, the Director said, that troops and other security agents sustained the offensive against the activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals in the Southeast.
In furtherance to this, he said, troops conducted operational activities in 7 villages, forests, towns and cities of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States geared towards restoring peace and normalcy to the region.
“Notably, on 15 January 2023, following credible intelligence troops raided suspected criminals’ hideouts at Ugwoba town in Oji River Local Government Area in Enugu State and Mbosi village in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State and arrested 10 suspected Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern
Security Network members including a high-profile sponsor of Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals,” he concluded.
