The Nigerian Army has dismantled over 43 illegal oil bunkering hubs and arrested 19 suspects, confiscating over 260,000 liters of stolen petroleum products across the Niger Delta region.
In a statement, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6th Division, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, revealed that the troops also destroyed 11 vehicles, 21 boats, and 11 motorcycles used for crude oil theft in the area.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma, troops in Rivers State dismantled seven active illegal refining hubs in the Abesa and Kula general areas within Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, seizing over 60,000 liters of illegally refined automotive gas oil. Additionally, they destroyed multiple bunkering sites, three fiber boats, and five wooden boats, and recovered 41,000 liters of stolen products.
Further operations in the Buguma creeks led to the destruction of four illegal refining hubs, eight large cooking pots, several receiver reservoirs, and three local boats containing approximately 12,500 liters of stolen products.
In Akwa Ibom State, troops intercepted two tankers carrying over 96,000 liters along the Okopedi Atai Road in Ikot Abasi LGA. They also stopped three Toyota Camry cars with registration numbers KTU 623 DS, KJA 273 EM, and AKD 233 ED transporting stolen automotive gas oil along the Ikot Abasi-Port Harcourt road. The drivers reportedly abandoned the vehicles, from which 5,400 liters of stolen products were recovered.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma further reported that additional wooden boats with 10,000 liters of stolen products were seized in areas around Odagwa, Akwa, Oza West, Oyigbo, Obozur, and Ayama.
Commending the troops’ achievements, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, General Officer Commanding the 6th Division, urged them to maintain their efforts to rid the region of economic saboteurs. He noted that continued operations would contribute to boosting oil production in the country.
REPORTER: FUNMILOLA ADEYEMI, ADBN NEWS.
