By Ade Iyamoye
In a major blow to the network of oil thieves plundering the nation’s wealth, the Nigerian Army has arrested forty three suspects and seized more than two hundred and fifty four thousand litres of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products across the Niger Delta.
The breakthrough came as troops intensified their clampdown on economic saboteurs, pipeline vandals, and operators of illegal refineries within the region’s Joint Operations Area.
These coordinated operations, carried out between March thirty first and April sixth, involved swift raids in collaboration with other security agencies.
The Army, in an official statement, revealed that fourteen illegal refineries were dismantled while fourteen boats used by the syndicates were also destroyed.
Several vehicles ferrying stolen products were intercepted during the operations, tightening the noose on the sprawling black market of crude oil theft.
In Delta State, troops uncovered a massive illegal bunkering site at Old Ogorode in Sapele Local Government Area.
The site was a hub for crude siphoning and illegal refining, underscoring the scale of the environmental and economic damage inflicted by these criminal enterprises.
The military further confirmed the seizure of industrial equipment used in the illicit refining process, dealing a severe blow to the operational capacity of the oil thieves.
The Army vowed to sustain the offensive, stressing that protecting the nation’s oil assets remains a critical priority.
“We will not relent until every economic saboteur is brought to justice and Nigeria’s resources are secured for the benefit of its citizens,” the statement assured.
This latest success underscores the military’s resolve to dismantle the criminal infrastructure bleeding the nation’s economy and polluting its environment.
