Army Detains Four IPOB Members, Dismantles 23 Illegal Refineries in Niger Delta

According to the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division, its soldiers detained 25 alleged oil thieves, including four members of the now-defunct Indigenous People of Biafra.

According to the Army, the agents also retrieved 45,000 stolen goods from the Niger Delta and dismantled 23 illicit refining facilities.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Sunday and distributed to reporters, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, revealed this.

Danjuma stated that after a series of army operations in the Niger Delta region from January 12 to January 19, 2025, the alleged IPOB members were apprehended in Oshimili LGA of Dekta State.

According to the statement, Troops 6 Division has made progress in combating economic sabotage and related crimes in the Niger Delta Region (NDR), with multiple victories to date.

In addition to deactivating 23 illegal artisanal refineries and destroying 14 boats, these operations resulted in the arrest of 25 oil thieves, including four alleged members of Delta State’s banned Independent People of Biafra, and the recovery of nearly 45,000 liters of stolen goods.

From January 12–19, 2025, the operations were carried out throughout the joint operations area with other sibling services.

“A truck carrying more than 15,000 liters of stolen goods along the East-West Road by Tank to Eneka in the Obia-Akpor Local Government Area was impounded in Rivers State as a result of the activities.

Troops deactivated seven illegal refining plants, seized four fiber boats, and retrieved more than 12,000 liters of stolen goods in the Degema LGA’s Karakarma area. Similarly, two illicit refining facilities, three receivers, and three pots of various sizes containing more than 2,400 stolen products were handled in the vicinity of Bille, also in Degema LGA.

In the Imo Riverside, forces also advanced, destroying 13 illegal refining installations, 25 drum pots, 24 receivers, and 6 metal containers while recovering almost 7,000 liters of stolen goods.

Motorcycles, a boat used for the horrible crime, four hollow pipes, and numerous empty liters were among the other items removed. Four boats and more than 2,700 liters of stolen goods were deactivated and recovered at Buguma LGA’s Oga-Ama route, respectively.

Additionally, troops detained a barge and a suspected tugboat near Finima in Bonny LGA. It was claimed that the barge was transporting automobile gas oil that had been stolen.

It went on, “near the same time, four suspected members of the banned IPOB were taken into custody by military during a sting operation in Delta State near the Power Line Bonsac general area in Oshimili LGA.

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Members of the irredentist group had a number of items found on them. Additionally, other motorcycles were stopped while transporting pilfered goods from Abor Community Junction to Kwale in Ndokwa West LGA. In connection with this, five dugout pits along the Yokri River in Burutu LGA were demolished, containing unknown amounts of stolen goods.

According to the statement, troops stopped two Toyota Avalons with registration numbers AN AUG 964 TN and By By SAG 513 EA in Bayelsa State along the Okarki to Otuasega route in Ogbia LGA. The vehicles were carrying an unknown amount of illegally processed AGO.

“The products and vehicles have been handled in accordance with the operating mandate that is now in effect.

According to the Army 6 Division spokesperson, “troops maintain the requisite operational posture to ward off criminal elements while in Akwa.”

Speaking, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, praised the soldiers’ perseverance and asked them to speed up operations.

They were also tasked by Abdussalam with preventing criminal elements—especially IPOB members—from gaining any traction in the Niger Delta.