In a significant operation against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, Nigerian troops dismantled over 43 illicit refining sites, arrested 19 suspects, and confiscated more than 260,000 litres of stolen petroleum products between November 4 and 10, 2024.
According to Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations Lieut Col Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, the campaign, spanning multiple states, included the deactivation of 11 vehicles, 21 boats, and 11 motorcycles used in illegal crude oil activities.
In Rivers State, troops dismantled seven major illegal refineries in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, seizing over 60,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO). Additional operations in Cawthorne Channel and Bille areas led to the destruction of more illegal refineries and the recovery of over 41,000 litres of stolen products.
Elsewhere, in the Buguma Creeks, four active refining hubs and numerous storage facilities were seized, while several boats containing over 10,000 litres of stolen oil were intercepted across Odagwa, Oyigbo, and nearby areas.
Troops also disrupted major oil theft activities in Akwa Ibom, intercepting two tankers holding over 96,000 litres along Ikot Abasi Road, as well as multiple vehicles transporting stolen AGO on Ikot Abasi–Port Harcourt Road.
Delta State witnessed similar successes, with troops intercepting a tanker carrying 45,000 litres of stolen oil. Additional seizures were made at Willis Jetty, where tanker trucks, pumping machines, and hoses were discovered in oil theft activities.
In Bayelsa, troops intercepted a vehicle transporting 1,500 litres of stolen AGO and destroyed a storage dump in Southern Ijaw.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, commended the troops’ efforts, emphasizing that their actions are pivotal for safeguarding Nigeria’s oil production.
