Army busts oil thieves, recovers 200,000 litres stolen crude in Rivers, Bayelsa

The Nigerian Army 6 Division said its troops uncovered massive dumps where illegally refined products worth over 200,000 litres across various locations were stored in Bayelsa and Rivers States.

This came 24 hours after the Army destroyed several illegal oil refining sites and recovered products in Members, Bayelsa State and Odagwa in Etche local government area of the Rivers State.

On the latest discovery, the Army said it was made at Dasaba Creek in Bayelsa State, where an illegal refining site, one oven, and a massive metal reservoir containing products suspected to be stolen crude oil estimated at over 110,000 litres were uncovered.

This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday by the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Jonah Danjuma, and sent to newsmen.

The statement added, “In Rivers State, troops swooped on over 33,000 litres being siphoned into a tank.

“The operation was painstakingly conducted by troops, who traced an interconnected hose to a tank from the Indorama (Eleme Petrochemicals) pipeline, far behind the fence in the bush.

“Several items were also recovered from the sites. These include two pumping machines, a long hose, and eleven drums used to perpetrate criminality in the general area.

“Relatedly, troops of 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, while on routine patrols, successfully intercepted trucks ladened with products suspected to be stolen crude in Delta State.

“The arrest was made at SEPLAT Energy Nigeria Ltd trunkline, Mosogar. During the operation, the truck was discovered to have over 30000 litres of stolen products. The trucks have been handled in line with the subsisting mandate of Operation Delta Safe in the Niger Delta Region.

“Similarly, troops of 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army, intercepted a truck with Reg No Delta UDH 983 XR along road Elebele-Emeyal in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“The truck was also ladened with over 30000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude.

“Also, troops deployed at Cawthorne Channel 1, in conjunction with other security agencies, successfully deactivated one illegal refining site with over 5500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude.

“The site was located close to Well Head 8, behind Glisten Community in Degema LGA, Rivers State.”

The Army 6 Division spokesman said the breakthroughs recorded were in addition to other seizures made within the general area.

The statement added, “Four suspects have so far been arrested along Udoni Obiafu in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“The suspects are, Freedom Effiong, Behaviour Power, Timothy Onyebuchi, and Lovetg Ifeanyi. They will be handed over to the relevant agencies for prosecution.

“These feats are results of the renewed effort by troops to effectively clamp down on economic saboteurs and their collaborators.

“Accordingly, members of the public are please enjoined to provide actionable intelligence on the activities of these economic saboteurs in their vicinity to security agencies.”