Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division have apprehended 43 suspected oil thieves during a coordinated raid on illegal artisanal refineries across Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

Spokesman for the division, Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday, noting that 14 artisanal refineries were also dismantled during the operations.

Mr Danjuma also revealed that troops seized 14 boats and confiscated about 254,000 litres of various stolen petroleum products between March 31 and April 6.

Providing details of the operations, he explained that soldiers in Delta raided the Old Ogorode community in the Sapele area, where they recovered 90,000 litres of petroleum products loaded into a bus.

“Furthermore, troops confiscated 74,107 drums filled with 16,600 litres of petroleum products and 1,600 litres of illegally refined engine oil.

“Other items recovered include a tank filled with over 20,000 litres of stolen products, an empty tank with a capacity of 5,000 litres, eight pumping machines, two generators.

“Two suspects were arrested at the crime scene,” he stated.

In a separate operation in Amukpe, Sapele, Danjuma said that soldiers intercepted a truck carrying 56 drums containing 13,400 litres of stolen crude oil.

He confirmed the arrest of three suspects connected to the incident.

“In Rivers, troops dismantled illegal sites, seized about 83,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 3,200 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in Andoni, Ahoada West, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Akuku-Toru, and Degema Local Government Areas.

“The petroleum products were found stored in more than 80 cooking pots and ovens, as well as in sacks, metal receivers, iron pipes, and a reservoir pit,” Mr Danjuma stated.

In Bayelsa, the army spokesman reported the seizure of 13,500 litres of stolen crude following the destruction of four illegal refineries in Yenagoa and Ekeremor LGAs.

During the raids, Mr Danjuma revealed that troops also dismantled over nine cooking drums and receivers, 11 ovens, four drums, and a dug-out reservoir.

According to him, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, commended the troops for their successful operations and urged stakeholders to support the fight against illegal oil bunkering.

“The GOC assured Nigerians that these ongoing operations form part of broader efforts to boost oil and gas production and enhance the nation’s economy,” he concluded.

(NAN)