The Nigerian Army recently disrupted illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta, resulting in the arrest of 19 individuals and the seizure of over 260,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of the 6 Division Army Public Relations, shared details of the operation in a statement on Sunday.
According to Danjuma, troops dismantled 43 illegal refining sites throughout the region, with most of the activity centred in Rivers State.
In the Abesa and Kula areas of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area (LGA), soldiers took down seven illegal oil refineries, confiscating over 60,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The troops also destroyed 11 vehicles, 21 boats, and 11 motorcycles involved in the illicit operations.
In Buguma Creeks, the operation uncovered and dismantled four additional active refining sites, including eight large cooking pots and several locally-made boats containing around 12,500 litres of illegally refined products.
Similar operations in Odagwa, Akwa, and Oza West led to the capture of numerous wooden boats holding more than 10,000 litres of stolen petroleum.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma emphasized that this operation marks a major setback for oil theft syndicates in the region and reinforced the military’s dedication to eradicating illegal oil activities in the Niger Delta.