By Salifu Faridat
In a concerted effort to combat illicit activities within Nigeria’s oil sector, troops from the Nigerian Army (NA) have been collaborating closely with personnel from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the southern regions of the country.
This cooperative endeavor recently yielded significant results, as outlined in a statement by Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, released on Monday in Abuja.
The operations in question, aimed at curbing illegal oil bunkering and related activities, are vital to safeguarding Nigeria’s oil resources and its economic interests.
In a noteworthy achievement, troops from the 181 Amphibious Battalion took action over the weekend in the Owahwa Creek area within Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
During this operation, they uncovered a total of 12 active illegal refining sites, indicative of the scale of the illicit activities in the area.
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Additionally, the troops discovered 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, six wooden boats that were loaded with stolen crude oil, and an astonishing 470 sacks containing illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) that had been concealed within the illicit camps.
Notably, this was not an isolated occurrence, as the troops of the 3 Battalion were also engaged in a similar operation. They managed to intercept two wooden boats that were carrying stolen crude oil in Tsekelewu, located in the Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
During this operation, two suspects believed to be involved in the illicit activities were apprehended and subsequently handed over to the NSCDC for further investigation.
Further contributing to these efforts, a vehicle transporting 25 polytene bags filled with suspected illegally refined AGO was intercepted in Ogbodu Community in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
In response to these successful operations, Nwachukwu emphasized the importance of the public’s active participation by reporting any suspected acts of sabotage or criminal activities to security agencies.
These collaborative efforts between the military and law enforcement agencies aim to enhance ongoing operations aimed at curbing economic sabotage within the country and protecting its valuable oil resources.
