Troops of Operation Delta Safe, OPDS, have destroyed 41 illegal refining sites and apprehended 18 suspects.
This was revealed by the Director of Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces, held recently.
According to him, the operation was carried out in the past two weeks at various locations in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers, including creeks, waterways, high sea, towns, and cities.
Additionally, the troops confiscated 156 cooking ovens, 189 storage tanks, 12 dugout pits, and 15 wooden boats.
The seizure of 13,500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil and 8,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, as well as six vehicles, was also reported.
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Moreover, the troops arrested five suspected cultists who attacked members of a vigilance group at Iyara road in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta, recovering two pistols, two knives, two machetes, and one motorcycle.
The troops also encountered pirates who fled upon seeing them during a fighting patrol to Sansan and Monikiri camp, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers. As a result, the troops destroyed the pirates’ camp and confiscated six speed boats, one 90HP engine, five 40HP engines, seven generators, five pumping machines, and seven radios.
The air component of Operation Delta Safe also carried out several air interdiction and armed reconnaissance missions within the theatre of operation, notably, between April 21 and April 27, several air interdictions were conducted at Ogbogbo community in Ahoada West Local Government Area and Abisse Waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers.
The air strikes targeted identified illegal refining sites, illegal tanks, and reservoirs loaded with suspected refined products, setting off explosions that burnt down the storages and reservoirs.
