From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, have destroyed six illegal oil refining sites in Opu Arugbana in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
NAF Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who made the disclosure, said in continuation of efforts to rid the Niger Delta Region of activities of oil thieves and oil pipeline vandals, air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, on December 23, 2023, destroyed six illegal oil refining sites in Opu Arugbana in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The illegal sites were sighted clustered within a radius of about 80 metres at a location about six nautical miles south of Opu Arugbana. Having been confirmed to be active, authorisation was obtained to destroy the six sites, thus discouraging the criminals from continuing with their acts of illegality.
Despite the festive season, air operations against criminals in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country continued unabated. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who spent the Christmas day with troops in the Northeast and currently in Katsina to fete troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, has commended the efforts of the Air Component Commanders in all the theatres of operations, while calling on them not to rest until criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.