By Victor Akaa
Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have arrested 39 suspected oil thieves and dismantled 18 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta Region.
The 6 Division’s Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the operations, conducted from March 24-30, 2025, yielded over 60,000 liters of stolen products and other recovered items.
According to the statement, in Rivers State, troops intercepted an inbuilt fabricated twin tank stocked with 18,000 liters of stolen products along Ochokocho Road in Etche Local Government Area.
He noted that a MAN Diesel container body truck conveying unquantified stolen products was also intercepted, with suspects fleeing upon sighting troops.
He said similar operations were conducted in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States, where different successes were recorded.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma, in Rivers State, along the Imo River, the anti-COT operations progressed with several illegal refining sites, drum pots, and receivers taken out, with over 15,000 liters of stolen products recovered.
He noted that around Rumuekpe Forest in Ahoada East Local Government Area, two illegal refining sites with over 2,800 liters of stolen products confiscated.
Other seizures were made around Ebocha, Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
Troops also closed up on oil thieves at Jelikri Creek in Degema Local Government Area, with several illegal refining sites dismantled, drum ovens, receivers, hoses, metal pipes destroyed.
In Bayelsa State, troops dismantled two illegal refining sites, containing drums and cooking ovens with over 8,000 liters of stolen crude in drums and sacks.
At Okighene in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, one illegal refining site with over 1,500 liters of crude oil and 300 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) was recovered.
In Delta State, troops confiscated several jerricans filled with illegally refined AGO and destroyed several cellophane bags used for the criminality.
While in Akwa Ibom State, troops dominated the operations landscape, making it impossible for the criminals to have freedom of action.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, commended the troops and urged them to intensify the crackdown on oil thieves. He warned oil thieves to engage in legitimate livelihoods or face the law.
