The Defence Headquarters has reported that troops from Operation Delta Safe apprehended 49 individuals involved in oil theft and destroyed 22 illegal refining sites over the past week.
Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, disclosed this information in a weekly update on military activities, presented on Friday in Abuja.
During this period, the operations thwarted oil theft valued at N869.2 million, recovering substantial quantities of stolen resources, including 325,990 litres of crude oil, 24,645 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 19,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and 1,600 litres of engine oil.
Kangye noted that the troops also uncovered and dismantled 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 dugout pits, 25 boats, a speedboat, 18 storage tanks, 316 drums, as well as other equipment including generators, pipes, pumping and drilling machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones, and 18 vehicles.
He emphasized that the military, along with other security agencies, continues to display bravery and professionalism in facing evolving security challenges. The operations have led to neutralizing insurgents, rescuing hostages, apprehending suspects, and recovering various arms and ammunition.
Kangye further stated, “Our troops remain dedicated to their constitutional responsibilities to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while ensuring the safety of all citizens. Between April 3 and April 10, they seized a wide array of arms, including machine guns, RPG tubes, automatic weapons, as well as locally fabricated guns and Improvised Explosive Devices, along with a significant cache of ammunition.”
