The Nigerian Army has intensified its crackdown on economic sabotage in the Niger Delta, announcing the arrest of 19 suspected oil thieves and the destruction of 22 illegal refining sites within a single week. These operations, conducted by troops of the 6 Division, form part of a broader military strategy to secure the nation’s oil infrastructure and bolster crude production levels.
According to a statement released by the Division’s spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Danjuma, the successes were recorded through a series of coordinated raids across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states. The military’s intervention is a response to the persistent threat of illegal bunkering, which continues to bleed the national economy and devastate the local environment.
In Rivers State, specifically around the general area of Imo River, troops discovered and deactivated several large-scale illegal refining points. At these locations, over 15,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 12,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were recovered. The suspects were caught in the act of siphoning products from a pipeline belonging to a major oil multinational.
Further operations in the Tuma and Bille areas led to the interception of several wooden boats, popularly known as “Cotonou boats,” loaded with stolen petroleum products. The Army reported that these vessels are frequently used by syndicates to transport siphoned crude through the winding creeks to secret cooking points deep within the mangroves.
The military’s reach extended into Bayelsa State, where a tip-off led to the discovery of a hidden storage facility. Here, troops recovered hundreds of drums filled with stolen oil and dismantled the sophisticated pumping equipment used by the thieves. In Delta State, raids targeted illegal tap points on the Trans-Escravos Pipeline, resulting in the arrest of several individuals believed to be middle-level coordinators of a local theft ring.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma emphasized that the destruction of the 22 illegal sites was carried out in accordance with environmental protocols, although the presence of such sites remains a significant cause of soot and pollution in the region. The 19 suspects arrested during these operations have been handed over to relevant civil security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, has reaffirmed the Division’s commitment to “zero tolerance” for oil theft. He noted that the military is working in close collaboration with other security agencies and host communities to identify and eliminate the “kingpins” who fund these illicit activities.
These military successes come at a critical time as the Federal Government seeks to meet its OPEC production quotas and stabilize the national currency. Analysts suggest that while kinetic operations like these are essential for immediate deterrence, a long-term solution will require addressing the underlying socio-economic drivers of oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The Army has urged residents of the region to continue providing timely and credible intelligence. They maintained that the fight against economic sabotage is not a military task alone but a national priority that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s natural resources are protected for the benefit of all citizens.
