Deborah Akinyosoye
In a series of operations conducted from March 17 to 23, 2025, troops of the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army have destroyed 19 artisanal refineries and recovered over 138,000 litres of stolen products in the Niger Delta.
The operations, which were carried out jointly with other security agencies, resulted in the arrest of 12 suspected oil thieves and the confiscation of stolen products across the Joint Operations Area (JOA).
Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, noted in a statement that in one of the operations, troops intercepted a tanker laden with 60,000 litres of stolen crude oil around Apajo-Iwoji-Iwofe road in Obio Akpor Local Government Area.
He said the driver abandoned the truck and fled on sighting the troops, adding that the search of the truck led to the recovery of multiple plate numbers.
Also, Danjuma said clearance operations were conducted at the fringes of the Imo River, resulting in the deactivation of numerous artisanal refineries, 64 drum pots, and 15 drum receivers. Over 4,500 litres of stolen products were recovered during the operation.
He noted that while, at Kumufari Creek in Degema LGA, troops discovered an abandoned oven with 40 sacks filled with over 1,200 litres of stolen crude.
Additionally, at the Okotokolomabia/Okoloma Lounge area in Bonny Island LGA, troops raided a site where suspected oil thieves fled and abandoned their equipment.
At the site, various items were recovered, including a 6 KVA generator, one wielding machine, five drilling machines, two drilling cups, 38 bolts and nuts amongst several other items.
Relatedly, Danjuma said troops raided Seven illegal bunkering camps around Joinkrama 4 and Biseni in Ahoada West and Yenagoa LGAs of Rivers and Bayelsa States respectively.
During the raid, illegal refining sites were destroyed with over 25,000 litres of stolen crude and 850 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil recovered respectively.
He listed items recovered, which included two wheelbarrows and a wooden boat. This was in addition to over 1,550 litres of stolen crude in cellophane bags on the waterways. Similar seizures were also made at Obiafu in Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni LGA.
While, in Delta State, around Masogar in Ethiope West LGA, an illegal bunkering open truck, with an inbuilt iron tank with registration number Edo Ekp 83 XB was intercepted along NNPC/Chevron/Seplat pipeline, the truck was loaded with over 20,000 litres of stolen crude, with another truck positioned behind it, waiting to be loaded with stolen products.
Meanwhile, in Akwa Ibom State, along the Iko – Okorete Communities road in Eastern Obolo LGA, a Toyota Avalon with Registration Number Lagos LSR 796 FD loaded with over 1,620 litres of stolen products in 54 cellophane bags was intercepted.
The two occupants of the vehicle were arrested. All the suspects have been handed over to the appropriate agencies for prosecution, while items and products confiscated were handled in accordance with the existing operational mandate.
Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, has charged the troops to scale up the anti crude oil theft operations in the JOA in order to effectively deny oil thieves and associated criminals freedom of action.
The GOC also called on the good people of the region to continue to provide credible information on the activities of criminal elements in their domain to security agencies.