In a sustained effort to combat illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, have arrested 29 suspected oil thieves and dismantled 24 illegal refining sites.
The operations, conducted between February 3 and 9, 2025, also led to the destruction of 11 boats and the recovery of over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, disclosed these developments in a statement on Monday. He revealed that troops carried out clearance operations along the Imo River, where they deactivated six illegal refining sites, destroying 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers. Additionally, two boats carrying over 18,000 litres of stolen petroleum products were neutralized.
In Asa, Obigbo Local Government Area (LGA), security forces uncovered a reservoir containing over 1,000 litres of stolen petroleum, along with 100 sacks holding approximately 1,500 litres of crude oil. Similar operations were executed across Okoloma, Obuzor, Lekuma, Abiama, Asa, and Ukwa general areas.
Further crackdowns in Asari-Toru LGA led to the dismantling of an illegal refining site in the Buguma general area. Troops destroyed two large pots and receivers, one of which contained over 9,000 litres of stolen crude. In Ebocha Well 5, soldiers raided an active refining site, seizing 28 locally made ovens and reservoirs filled with 5,900 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) and 3,500 litres of stolen crude.
A suspected oil thief was apprehended, while another operation along Kumufari Creek in Akuku-Toru LGA resulted in the seizure of a 200-metre hose and a reservoir containing over 1,500 litres of stolen petroleum products.
In Delta State, a sting operation in the Okpai Oluchi community, Ndokwa East LGA, led to the confiscation of 70 sacks of stolen petroleum products along the SEEPCO Energy Company pipeline, totaling approximately 2,800 litres. Troops also recovered a Sienna bus with Lagos registration number APP 89 CV, abandoned by a suspected oil thief, which was loaded with 15 sacks of illegally refined AGO in Isoko South LGA.
Similarly, in Bayelsa State, troops dismantled two illegal refining sites at the boundary between Joinkrama 4 in Yenagoa LGA and Okarki in Ahoada West LGA. Further operations in Biseni, along the River Niger, as well as in Akpedi and Akinima communities, led to the interception of 2,500 litres of AGO concealed in sacks.
Meanwhile, in Akwa Ibom State, security forces maintained operational dominance, ensuring the continued disruption of illegal oil bunkering activities in the region.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to sustaining the crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal refining, urging communities to support security efforts in restoring stability and protecting the nation’s economic resources.
