The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has successfully arrested 29 suspected oil thieves, dismantled 24 illegal refineries, and recovered over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in the Niger Delta region.
The operation, conducted in collaboration with other security agencies, targeted multiple states within the region, according to a statement from the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Jonah Danjuma, issued on Monday in Port Harcourt.
In a major crackdown on illegal oil bunkering, the 6 Division, alongside other security agencies, apprehended the suspects, deactivated 24 illegal refining sites, demobilized 11 boats, and seized over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.
Between February 3 and 9, 2025, troops carried out clearance operations along the Imo River, dismantling six illegal refining sites. During this raid, they destroyed 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers and demobilized two boats. Over 18,000 litres of stolen petroleum products were recovered.
In Obigbo, Rivers State, soldiers uncovered a hidden reservoir with more than 1,000 litres of stolen crude, along with 100 sacks containing around 1,500 litres of illegally obtained products. In the Buguma area of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, troops raided an illegal refining site, seizing two large refining pots and two receivers, one of which contained over 9,000 litres of stolen crude.
The operation also extended to Ebocha Well 5, where troops found 28 empty locally-made ovens and reservoirs holding 5,900 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 3,500 litres of stolen crude. In Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, at Kumufari Creek, soldiers discovered another illegal refining site and a 200-meter hose linked to a reservoir containing over 1,500 litres of stolen products.
In Delta State, troops acted on a tip-off about illegal bunkering in Okpai Oluchi, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, where they seized over 2,800 litres of stolen crude from 70 sacks near a pipeline belonging to SEEPCO Energy Company.
In Bayelsa State, the army dismantled two illegal refining sites along the boundary between Joinkrama 4 in Yenagoa Local Government Area and Okarki in Ahoada West Local Government Area.
The statement concluded by noting that troops in Akwa Ibom State continue to maintain a strong security presence, preventing criminal activity in the region. The army reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating illegal refining and oil theft in the Niger Delta, pledging to sustain efforts to combat economic sabotage in the region.
