Oil Theft: Army Arrests 21 Suspects
…As Troops Intensify Crackdown On Vandals In Niger Delta
By ERIC MOORE
Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have intensified crackdown against economic saboteurs and associated criminalities in the Niger Delta.
Acting Deputy Director 6 Division Army Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma disclosed this in a statement he issued on Sunday.
Danjuma said in separate operations conducted by troops of the Division, over 21 persons have been arrested in connection to illegal oil bunkering activities.
He added that, over 43 illegal refining sites have been successfully deactivated as well as over 120,000 litres of illegally refined products confiscated.
According to APR, in Bayelsa State, troops in conjunction with other security agencies arrested 12 pipeline vandals at Ojobo Community in Ekeremor LGA, Bayelsa State.
He said the suspects were arrested with a barge loaded with one swamp buggy, a tug boat and several vandalized Shell Production Development Company (SPDC) pipes.
“Likewise, at Obotoro Creek and Babrogbene in Southern Ijaw LGA, troops destroyed an illegal refining site and intercepted a wooden boat as well as a reservoir with over 5,500 litres of stolen products.
Other items recovered from the site included two drums of Automotive Gas Oil, estimated to be 2,800 litres. Relatedly, One illegal refining site at Diebu Creek in Southern Ijaw with over 8,000 litres was deactivated.
Danjuma stated that the operations also yielded results around Binikurukuru axis of Igbomtoru and Tebidaba communities also in Southern Ijaw, where one wooden Canoe, loaded with over 2,000 litres was intercepted with one suspect arrested.
In Rivers State, troops around Bille and Abiseni general area in Degema and Akuku-Toru LGAs, deactivated five illegal refining sites, there large storage points containing over 28,000 litres of stolen crude, which have been handled appropriately.
He explained: “Also, troops conducting pipeline surveillance around oil wellheads at Cawthorne Channel I, II and III general areas also in Degema LGA intercepted a wooden boat loaded with over 5,000 litres of crude. This was in addition to the destruction of a large wooden boat hidden inside the creek, suspected to be used for criminal activities.
Similarly, troops on routine patrol, around Sama in Asari-Toru LGA, destroyed One illegal refining site, one oven, to three receivers and one reservoir.
“At Odioku and Okoh in ONELGA, two illegal refining sites were destroyed, while over 2,000 litres of stolen crude were confiscated.
“Additionally, tw wooden boats hidden in the creeks, along Egi and Nkissa containing over 2,000 litres of crude were also recovered.
“Also, within Ogbogolo forest in Ahoada West, troops deactivated one illegal refining site with over 4,000 litres of stolen crude. At the stretch of the Imo River, troops have scaled up operations that led to the deactivation of 12 illegal refining sites and several products confiscated.”
The APR added: “In Delta State, one illegal refining site at Ikpemu Creek with over 5,000 litres of stolen products have been deactivated accordingly. In addition, several illegal refining sites have been taken out with various products confiscated within the Division’s Area of Responsibility. The vandals arrested would be handed over to the relevant prosecutory agencies.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, while commending troops for their relentless efforts charged them to scale up operations against economic sabotage and sundry crimes, in order to emplace conditions necessary for exploration activities thrive in the region seamlessly.
He also, for the umpteenth time warned criminal elements to embrace legitimate means of livelihood and desist from sabotaging the nation’s economy.