Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ In a sweeping crackdown on oil theft across Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, the Nigerian Army has apprehended 35 suspected oil thieves involved in illegal refining and pipeline tampering. Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, spokesman for the Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt, said that a series of operations from October 21 to October 27 across the states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers captured the suspects.
During the operations, the army reported dismantling 58 illegal artisanal refineries and confiscating significant quantities of stolen and adulterated petroleum products. Among the seized items were approximately 11,200 liters of crude oil and 355,000 liters of diesel, which were being prepared for illegal distribution. The operations, part of a broader national effort to curb oil theft and illegal bunkering in the region, reflect the ongoing challenges facing Nigeria’s oil industry, plagued by losses from illicit activities.
In Rivers State, soldiers dismantled 22 illegal refining sites, seizing 131,500 liters of diesel and 10,300 liters of condensates. Additionally, operations across Akuku-Toru, Ahoada East, Degema, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas, as well as at the Obiofo Oil Field, Odagwa, and Imo River locations, resulted in the detention of six suspects.
Akwa Ibom witnessed the most arrests, with 27 suspects apprehended and troops dismantling 34 illegal refining sites across multiple communities. Seized items included 215,000 liters of diesel, 19 wooden boats, nine vehicles, and nylon bags filled with petroleum products.
In Delta State, two suspects were detained, and army personnel seized 1,200 liters of crude oil, 16 cellophane bags, two wooden boats, and one vehicle in the Warri South and Ethiope West Local government areas. Bayelsa State operations led to the destruction of two illegal refining sites, with 8,500 liters of diesel and 10,000 liters of crude oil seized. In the LGAs of Ekeremor, Nembe, Southern Ijaw, and Yenagoa, authorities arrested three suspects and confiscated seven wooden boats.
The Nigerian Army’s ongoing mission aims to dismantle the operations that have cost Nigeria millions in lost revenue due to oil theft and environmental degradation. By curbing these illegal activities, the army is striving to restore stability in the Niger Delta’s oil sector and support the nation’s economy.
