By Victor Akaa.
In a bold move to tackle the menace of oil theft in the Niger Delta Region, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, Saturday paid an operational visit to the Imo River stretch.
According to the 6 Division’s Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma in a statement on Sunday said, fhe visit was aimed at assessing the illegal activities in the area and taking decisive action against oil thieves.
During the visit, Major General Emekah ordered the destruction of all life-supporting structures and illegal refining sites in the identified areas.
He also directed the troops to comb the entire stretch, including the adjoining forests, to ensure that all illegal refining sites are destroyed.
The visit was followed by a series of coordinated operations across the Niger Delta Region from February 10 to 16, 2025.
The operations resulted in the arrest of 12 suspected oil thieves, the deactivation of 25 illegal refining sites, and the demobilization of 18 boats used for criminality. Additionally, over 95,000 liters of stolen crude oil were recovered, along with other ancillary equipment.
In Rivers State, troops intercepted a 45,000-liter capacity DAF truck with multiple plate numbers, stealing crude along the Trans Niger Pipeline. The criminals fled and abandoned the truck on sighting troops.
Similarly, two wooden boats laden with over 20,000 liters of stolen crude were intercepted along the Odagwa-Imo River stretch in Etche Local Government Area.
The crackdown on oil thieves also extended to Delta State, where troops deactivated three active illegal refining sites in Benneth Island, Warri South West Local Government Area. Several holding facilities were destroyed, and over 6,300 liters of stolen crude oil were confiscated.
The GOC, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, commended the troops for their reinvigorated anti-illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism posture.
He charged them to effectively deny economic saboteurs freedom of action, which will support an increase in exploration activities in the Niger Delta Region.
The success of the operations is a testament to the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s oil and gas infrastructure from the scourge of illegal activities.
