Nigerian Army troops have confiscated over 45,000 liters of stolen petroleum products and detained at least 17 alleged vandals.
In a statement released on Sunday, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, revealed this.
In the Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, troops on patrol in the Okarki Community stopped a Toyota 4Runner SUV that was carrying more than 1,600 liters of suspected stolen diesel, the statement said.
Apparently, the driver ran after abandoning the car.
In addition, 23 sacks filled with refined goods were found in Ahoada West, while a wooden boat carrying petroleum products was found in Degema.
Soldiers found a pipeline that had been vandalized and recovered stolen condensate at Obiafor in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
“Items recovered included six sacks containing 300 liters of illegally refined AGO, three-inch metal pipes, and a 250-meter hose,” the statement said in part.
Soldiers found a tanker truck full of suspected stolen diesel and a sizable storage facility containing more than 20,000 liters of Automotive Gas Oil, or AGO, along with pumping and metering machines when they stormed an illegal storage hub in Delta State’s Ogwu Community in the Warri South.
As stated in the statement, further goods included a 20,000-liter tanker truck registered BEN 223 ZW (Edo State) that was laden with more than 10,000 liters of illegally refined AGO, as well as two empty tanks.
Refineries and dugout pits were destroyed in Bayelsa State as a result of raids in Biseni, Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Another operation in Okordia led to the capture of a Toyota Camry transporting AGO barrels.
A Toyota Camry with registration number ASB 71 BG, carrying more than 600 liters of AGO, was stopped at Okordia in Yenagoa LGA, according to the statement.
Lieutenant Danjuma said that security patrols became more frequent along oil theft routes in Akwa Ibom State, limiting saboteurs’ movement and interfering with their supply channels.
In the Niger Delta, the Army insisted that its current operations were focused on protecting national resources, curbing the actions of economic saboteurs, and reestablishing environmental integrity.
