Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have arrested nine suspected oil thieves and deactivated 10 illegal refining sites across the Niger Delta region, confiscating over 130,000 litres of stolen crude oil and over 26,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil in a haul valued at over N250 million. The operation, conducted from 1 to 26 April 2026 across Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom states, represents the military’s sustained campaign against economic saboteurs in the oil-rich region.
Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Port Harcourt that the operations cut across the creeks, rivulets, and hinterland where oil thieves operate their camps. He quoted the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, as charging the troops to sustain the operational tempo against economic saboteurs and associated crimes across the region.
In Rivers State, troops intercepted an abandoned truck with registration number KMC 310 ZV Kano at Ukpeye Community along the East-West Road in Ahoada East Local Government Area, discovering that the truck had been loaded with 45,000 litres of stolen products. At Orashi National Forest in Ahoada West LGA, a massive reservoir filled with over 35,000 litres of stolen crude oil was uncovered, while another reservoir containing over 26,000 litres of illegally refined AGO was also discovered, with several galvanised pipes used for siphoning the products destroyed.
At Ebocha, Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, troops confiscated 266 sacks filled with 17,760 litres of stolen products. At Abessa Forest in Ahoada West LGA, troops discovered four drum ovens and 50 sacks containing over 3,000 litres of crude oil, while two identified waste pits were destroyed. In Delta State, around Obazogbe Community in Ethiope LGA, troops uncovered a tapping point with a dugout storage pit located 500 metres away, filled with over 2,700 litres of stolen products. In Akwa Ibom State, troops uncovered 45 bags containing a 1,350-litre stockpile of illegally refined AGO at Ikot Ekpene LGA.
From an economic perspective, crude oil theft remains a major drain on Nigeria’s fiscal resources, costing the country billions of dollars annually in lost revenue and environmental damage. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has consistently identified oil theft as a significant constraint on meeting production targets and OPEC quotas. While military operations have disrupted illegal activities, the scale of theft suggests that sustained investment in surveillance technology, pipeline integrity, and community engagement is required to permanently address the problem.
