Army arrests 28 suspected oil thieves, recovers 290,000 litres of stolen crude

By Davies Iheamnachor, Port Harcourt

Troops of the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army, moving with different information agencies, person arrested 28 suspected lipid thieves and recovered implicit 290,000 litres of stolen petroleum products successful ongoing anti-crude lipid theft operations crossed the Niger Delta.

The Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, disclosed successful a connection that the operations were conducted betwixt 6 and 19 October 2025 crossed Rivers, Abia, Delta, and Bayelsa states, starring to the deactivation of 4 amerciable refining sites.

“The operations resulted successful the apprehension of 28 suspected lipid thieves, the deactivation of 4 amerciable refining sites, and the seizure of implicit 290,000 litres of stolen petroleum products crossed the region,” the connection read.

In Rivers State, respective operations recorded important successes:

At Okrika LGA, troops intercepted 2 woody boats loading Premium Motor Spirit from a vas astatine a jetty. Another 2 boats were intercepted, 1 carrying implicit 33,000 litres of stolen products. A abstracted vessel with 5,000 litres of stolen products was besides seized.

Following a tip-off astatine Elele Alimini, Emohua LGA, troops impounded a tanker (Rivers JJN 287 ZU) suspected of carrying 90,000 litres of stolen products. The operator and his adjunct were arrested.

At Okolomade, Abua/Odual LGA, implicit 2,600 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered.

In Abia State, on the Imo River, troops deactivated 2 amerciable refining sites astir Obuzor, Asa Asa successful Ukwa West LGA, seizing 3 drum pots, 3 receivers, and implicit 2,500 litres of stolen crude. At Orashi River waterside, 2 woody boats were intercepted with implicit 700 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene, resulting successful the apprehension of six suspects.

In Delta State, intelligence-led operations on the PAN Ocean Pipeline close of mode successful Ethiope East LGA led to the apprehension of 1 fishy and betterment of vandalized pipes, hoses, Bagco sacks, leather materials, a Peugeot 406, a Camry, a Toyota Jeep, and a lorry van loaded with implicit 1,650 litres of stolen products. Criminals who attempted to fly were pursued by troops.

Operations successful Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States person been intensified, with some kinetic and non-kinetic strategies efficaciously restricting the state of question of lipid thieves.

Lt. Col. Danjuma emphasized that the ongoing operations show the Nigerian Army’s committedness to curbing crude lipid theft and protecting the nation’s petroleum resources.

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