The Defence Headquarters has announced that military personnel under Operation Delta Safe arrested 49 individuals connected to oil theft and shut down 22 illegal refining sites within the last week.
This update was provided by Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, in a briefing held in Abuja.
Kangye revealed that the troops intercepted crude and refined petroleum products worth an estimated N869.2 million.
Among the recovered items were 325,990 litres of stolen crude oil, 24,645 litres of illegally processed diesel, 19,500 litres of petrol, and 1,600 litres of engine oil.
During the operations, troops also uncovered and destroyed 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 pits used for storing products, 25 boats including one speedboat, 18 large storage tanks, and 316 drums.
Other seized equipment included generators, jacks, galvanized pipes, water pumps, drilling tools, motorcycles, tricycles, mobile phones, and 18 vehicles believed to be used for illegal activities.
The military spokesperson highlighted that the armed forces, in collaboration with other security outfits, continue to carry out their duties with dedication, professionalism, and determination despite rising security challenges across the country.
In addition to anti-oil theft operations, troops across different zones — including the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-South — carried out raids where insurgents were eliminated, hostages rescued, and criminal suspects arrested.
A significant cache of weapons and ammunition was also recovered during this period.
Between April 3 and April 10, forces seized a variety of arms, such as machine guns, RPG launchers, automatic rifles, locally manufactured guns, and explosive devices. They also recovered large quantities of ammunition, including 7.62mm and 9mm rounds, along with live cartridges, as part of their ongoing mission to protect the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure public safety.