The Nigerian Army has reported a major breakthrough in combatting oil theft across the Niger Delta, dismantling 43 illegal oil bunkering sites and apprehending 19 suspects involved in the region’s rampant fuel pilfering. During the operation, military forces seized over 260,000 litres of stolen petroleum products and destroyed various tools used in the illicit trade.

Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, shared details of the successful mission, highlighting the destruction of 11 vehicles, 21 boats, and 11 motorcycles associated with the illegal oil extraction and transport. The operation’s focal point was Rivers State, particularly within Abesa and Kula in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, where seven active illegal refining sites were dismantled. Additionally, over 60,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were seized.

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The military’s crackdown extended to other critical sites, where several fibre and wooden boats holding more than 41,000 litres of stolen fuel were destroyed. In the Buguma Creeks, officials dismantled four active refining hubs containing eight large cooking pots and numerous sizable storage reservoirs. Authorities also intercepted three local boats holding approximately 12,500 litres of stolen oil.

The operation further led to the interception of wooden boats in strategic locations, including Odagwa, Akwa, Oza West, Oyigbo, Obozur, and Ayama. These vessels carried more than 10,000 litres of illicit oil, underscoring the widespread nature of oil theft activities in the region. The military’s recent action represents a significant blow to illegal oil bunkering networks in the Niger Delta as authorities intensify efforts to curb oil theft and safeguard the nation’s petroleum resources.