Military deactivates 57 illegal refineries, apprehend oil thieves

According to the Defence Headquarters, Operation Delta Safe personnel have captured 21 oil thieves in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States and dismantled 57 illicit refinery installations in only three weeks.

Major General Musa Danmadami, the director of defence media operations, said this on Thursday in Abuja.

In his briefing on military activities, Danmadami noted that the forces also demolished 953 cooking ovens, 68 wooden boats, 172 storage tanks, and 149 dugout pits over the same period.

During Operation Octopus Grip, he claimed, the forces also found 445,000 litres of crude oil, 1.04 million litres of automotive gas oil, 22,000 litres of premium motor spirit, and 2,000 litres of dual-purpose kerosine.

He said that 63 automobiles, 14 motorbikes, one tricycle, three bicycles, 11 pumping equipment, and three outboard engines were all seized in addition to eight tankers, two speed boats, and one thug boat.

He continued by saying that 21 oil thieves and pipeline vandals were also caught throughout the time period under consideration.

Danmadami added: “Cumulatively within the weeks in focus, oil thieves were denied a total of N713.6 million in the region.

“The large quantity of illegal crude oil and other petroleum products recovered and destroyed and the number of arrested oil thieves and pipeline vandals, shows the unrelenting efforts by the troops of Operation Delta Safe in denying them freedom of action.”

In the South East, Danmadami said the troops and other security agencies in the zone neutralised seven criminals, apprehended 25 others and rescued eight kidnapped civilians.

He said the troops also recovered five AK47 rifles, eight pump action guns, three locally made pistols, three dane guns, several locally fabricated hand grenades with leg cuffs and chains, among others.

According to him, all recovered items, rescued civilians and apprehended criminals have been handed over to the relevant authority for further action.

In the South West, he said the troops of Operation AWATSE in the conduct of Operation Swift Response recovered 1,680 (50kg) bags of foreign rice, 997 jerrycans of 30 litres of PMS, one truck, two golf cars, bales of used clothing, among other items.

Danmadami said that the troops also arrested two criminal elements during the operation.

He said that all recovered items had been handed over to the Nigerian Custom Services, while the arrested criminals were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.