161,000 Litres Recovered as Nigerian Army Raids 27 Illegal Refineries
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested 43 suspects and dismantled 27 illegal bunkering sites across the Niger Delta between May 26 and June 8.
The operation, which spanned Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta states, led to the recovery of over 161,000 litres of stolen petroleum products, according to a statement by Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division.
“In Rivers State, troops intercepted a fibre boat, a wooden boat and a large wooden barge filled with over 27,000 litres of stolen Premium Motor Spirit (PMS),” he said. Additional arrests and seizures were made in hotspots like Okrika, Ahoada West, Degema and Omoku.
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Bayelsa saw one of the most significant busts, with over 61,000 litres of stolen crude oil and diesel recovered from multiple sites in Yenagoa LGA alone. Troops uncovered illegal connection points, cooking ovens and reservoirs used in refining stolen crude.
In Akwa Ibom and Delta, suspects were caught transporting petroleum in private vehicles, with products concealed in nylons and sacks.
The coordinated raids come amid renewed calls to halt crude oil losses that cost Nigeria billions annually. The General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, commended the troops and urged them to “sustain the tempo against oil thieves in the Niger Delta Region.”
