Soldiers uncover another illegal refinery in Delta, intercept boats, vehicles with stolen crude

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Army Headquarters in Abuja said its troops on internal security operations in the Niger Delta region have uncovered a camp belonging to oil thieves in Owahwa Creek in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who made the disclosure,  said the troops from 181 Amphibious Battalion working in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), discovered 12 active illegal refining sites, 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, six wooden boats laden with stolen crude and 470 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) concealed in the camps.

Nwachukwu, in a statement, said: “Troops of the Nigerian Army (NA), in synergy with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have continued to crack down on  saboteurs of Nigeria’s oil sector in Southern Nigeria.

“Troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion conducting anti oil theft operations, on Saturday, September 2, 2023, cracked down on oil thieves’ camps in Owahwa Creek in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. In the crackdown, the vigilant troops discovered 12 active illegal refining sites, 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, six wooden boats laden with stolen crude and 470 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) concealed in the camps.

“Relatedly, the same troops also intercepted a vehicle conveying 25 polythene bags of suspected illegally refined AGO in Ogbodu Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

In a similar operation, also conducted on September 2, 2023, troops of 3 Battalion, intercepted two wooden boats ladened with stolen crude in Tsekelewu, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta state. The troops also arrested two suspects in connection with the crime. Both suspects and the illegal products have been handed over to NSCDC personnel attached to Tantita Security Services for further action.

Members of the public are please implored to report any suspected act of sabotage or criminality to security agencies to enhance ongoing operations to curb economic sabotage in the country.