The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who made this known in a statement on Monday said that the troops cracked down on oil thieves' camps in Owahwa Creek in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
The Nigerian Army has said that its anti-oil theft operations troops have uncovered illegal oil bunkering sites in Owahwa and Tseleku communities of Delta State and intercepted boats and vehicle ladened with illegal oil products.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who made this known in a statement on Monday said that the troops cracked down on oil thieves' camps in Owahwa Creek in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
The army spokesperson also said that the troops also intercepted a vehicle conveying 25 polythene bags of suspected illegally refined AGO in Ogbodu Community in Udu Local Government Area of the State, and that the troops of 3 Battalion, intercepted two wooden boats ladened with stolen crude in Tsekelewu, Warri North Local Government Area of the state.
Nwachukwu 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.
“In the crackdown, the vigilant troops discovered 12 active illegal refining sites, 60 crude oil cooking ovens, 14 reservoirs, 6 wooden boats laden with stolen crude and 470 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) concealed in the camps.
“Relatedly, 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 2 September 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.”
Tantita firm belongs to former militants leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, who got a multi-million-dollar surveillance contract from the Nigerian government.