Troops of Operation Delta Safe and other joint military forces have recovered stolen petroleum products worth over N7 billion in the Niger Delta region during the first quarter of 2024.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. He stated that the military’s intensified operations led to the destruction of 122 illegal refining sites and the arrest of 11 oil thieves and bunkerers.
Providing a breakdown of the recovered items, Kangye revealed that troops seized 6,290,437 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,319,437 litres of diesel, 6,130 litres of kerosene, and 4,545 litres of petrol.
Additionally, security forces discovered and destroyed 257 crude oil cooking ovens, 128 dugout pits, 192 boats, 138 storage tanks, 236 drums, several speed boats, pumping machines, and 90 vehicles used in the illegal operations.
The military’s crackdown on oil theft is part of ongoing efforts to curb economic sabotage, protect Nigeria’s oil resources, and enhance security in the region. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to dismantling illegal refining activities and prosecuting those involved in crude oil theft.
