From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have continued to tighten the nose against oil thieves with numerous successes, resonating across the joint operations area.
These successes included the dismantling of 13 illegal bunkering hubs, four boats demobilised, arrest of 15 oil thieves, over 150 locally made ovens deactivated and the recovery of over 300,000 litres of stolen products.
Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the operations were carried out in Akwa lbom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers State
According to him, the troops carri e out the operations closely with other sister Services from January 20 to 26, 2025.
He explained: “While on routine anti illegal bunkering operations, troops swooped on a vandalised point, with a large pool stocked with 252,000 litres of stolen crude oil at Ugo Community in Orhiomwon Local Government Area LGA of Edo State.
Danjuma explained that the products were suspected to have been stolen from a vandalised point. Further exploitation in the area led to the recovery of pumping machine, hose and pipes.
He added: “At Asade Community in Ethiope West LGA of Delta State, troops intercepted a red 30,000 litres capacity DAF Tanker Truck without Plate Number, siphoning crude from PAN Ocean Nigeria Limited Pipeline located in the bush in Ovade gen area. It was discovered that over 15,000 litres of stolen crude was already siphoned before the truck was intercepted.
Similarly, he said: “In Rivers State, particularly along the Imo River corridor, the operations led to the confiscation of over 10,000 litres of stolen products.
“At Obiafu Oil field in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA), troops dismantled three illegal refining sites in a cluster, with ten cooking drums, two rolls of hose and eight reservoirs. This feat was replicated around Abalama Community in Asari-Toru LGA, where troops discovered some carefully concealed jerricans filled with illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) estimated to be over 1,500 litres.
“Troops are currently combing the general area for possible arrest of economic saboteurs.”
Also, “In Akwa Ibom State, troops raided an illegally refined AGO storage facility at Ikot Abia in Ikot Ekpene LGA. Further exploitation led to the recovery of over 30 polythene bags filled with unspecified quantity of stolen AGO and several empty jerrycans.
“While in Bayelsa State, at Isonogbene general area in Brass LGA, two illegal refining sites were taken out with over 5,000 litres of stolen crude recovered.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, while appreciating troops for their efforts in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, reassured that the days of criminal elements masquerading as economic saboteurs and associated crimes are numbered.
Emekah, who assumed office 48 hours ago as the new GOC of 6 Division after Major General Jamal Abdussalam, had charged the troops to surpass Federal Government’s 2.3million barrel per day (bpd) oil production with 2.5million bpd.
He advised criminal elements in Niger Delta region, to turn a new leaf and embrace legitimate means of livelihood or be ready to face renewed onslaught.