Nigerian Troops Crack Down on Illegal Oil Bunkering in Niger Delta Region
The Nigerian Army’s ongoing operations against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta Region have yielded significant successes. Troops from the 6 Division, working alongside other security agencies, have dismantled over 32 illegal bunkering sites and arrested several suspects.
Spokesman for the Division Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma in a statement said, the troops have recorded notable successes in various states. In Rivers State he said troops deactivated two illegal refining sites, seized 45,000 liters of stolen crude, and confiscated 28,000 liters of stolen products. Additionally, they intercepted a tug boat with 50,000 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and arrested five crew members. In Bayelsa State, troops destroyed two illegal refining sites, recovering over 5,000 liters of stolen products. In Delta State, a tipper truck with 30 drums of stolen condensates was intercepted, and two suspects were arrested for vandalizing oil wellhead equipment.
Furthermore, in Akwa Ibom State, two trucks carrying over 30,000 liters of stolen products each were seized.
The operations have also led to the destruction of numerous cooking drums, ovens, and boats used for illicit activities. Several dugout pits with stolen products were handled, and various equipment, including drilling machines, shovels, and electric cables, were recovered. At Jones Creek in Warri South, troops arrested two suspects connected to the vandalization of an oil wellhead equipment and discovered a valve fixed on the pipeline within Idemili general area.
The troops also intercepted a wooden boat loaded with crude oil packaged in 40 cellophane bags, estimated to be over 1,800 liters, at Aghigho Oil Field in Warri South.
