Military Intensifies Battle Against Oil Thieves In Niger Delta

ABUJA 

The Joint Task Force operating in the Niger Delta region, code-named Operation Delta Safe, has intensified its battle against oil thieves in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States.

 

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, disclosed this in a press statement recently.

 

The statement read: “Troops of Joint Task ForceOperation Delta Safe theatre of operation have continued to sustain offensive actions against oil thieves and economic saboteurs through its kinetic operations towards denying the criminal elements freedom of action to create a conducive environment for economic activities in the Joint Operation Area to thrive. 

 

“Accordingly, troops of Operation Delta Safeconducted patrol, raids, clearance and swamp buggy operations in the creeks, villages, communities and towns in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States.

 

“Consequently, within the weeks in focus, troops of Operation Delta Safe in the conduct of Operation Octopus Grip discovered and destroyed several illegal refining sites, 17 wooden boats, 103 storage tanks, 94 ovens and 58 dugout pits. 

 

“Troops also recovered 10 trucks, 1 generator, 1 tanker, 2 vehicles, 8 pumping machines, arrested 17 pipelines vandals while a total of seven thousand eight hundred and five (7,805) barrels of crude oil and two thousand six hundred and thirteen (2,613) barrels of Automotive Gas Oil were recovered. 

 

“In addition, a total of one hundred and thirty-four million, six hundred and seventy thousand,two hundred and fifty-five Naira and seventy-two Kobo (N134,670,255.72) of Automotive Gas Oil and four hundred and two million, four hundred and nineteen thousand, eight hundred and forty-six Naira,four Kobo (N402,419,846.04) were denied the oil thieves. 

 

“Accordingly, a total approximated value of product denied oil thieves within the period under review was five hundred and thirty-seven million, ninety thousand, one hundred and two Naira (N537,090,102.12)

 

“Similarly, between 9 and 13 September 2022,troops raided suspected criminal hideouts at Okpokumu community in Burutulocalgovernment area of Delta State and Iduodahcommunity in Ahoada West local government area of Rivers State and arrested 4 suspected armed robbers. 

 

“Items recovered from the suspects include 2 G3 rifles, 1 locally made pump action gun, 1 locally made pistol, 3 G3 magazine, 3 AK47 magazines, 280 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 780 rounds of 7.62mm special, MMG metal links, 2 boafeng radios. 

 

“Other items recovered are 5 pairs of military camouflages, 6 pairs of desert boots, some Nigerian currency notes and large quantities of items suspected to be hard drugs. 

 

“The arrested suspects and items recovered have been handed over to the relevant authority for further action.”