The Nigerian military has made significant strides in combating crime and insurgency in the country, as troops under the Defence Media Operations have rescued 291 hostages, arrested 51 suspected oil thieves, and recovered stolen crude oil worth N798.1 million. The information was disclosed by Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
Among the key successes, troops apprehended two suspected ammunition couriers, Danweri and Abubakar Hamza, in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The operation also led to the recovery of 146 assorted weapons, including 72 AK-47 rifles, 33 fabricated rifles, and 28 Dane guns, as well as 2,599 rounds of assorted ammunition.
In addition to the weapons and ammunition, the operation yielded other valuable items, including three Baofeng radios, 36 motorcycles, 40 mobile phones, three vehicles, and N1.8 million in cash.
The Niger Delta region, a hotbed of illegal oil activities, also saw significant progress. Troops discovered and destroyed 66 illegal refining sites, 68 crude oil cooking ovens, 13 dugout pits, and numerous boats and storage tanks. In total, 657,470 litres of stolen crude oil and 127,870 litres of illegally refined products were recovered, along with a variety of equipment such as four speedboats, a generator, and five vehicles.
Maj. Gen. Buba lauded the troops for their continued success in curbing criminal activities, particularly illegal oil refining and the widespread theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta. He emphasized the importance of these operations in securing the nation’s resources and protecting citizens from the dangers posed by such criminal activities.
