According to the Defence Headquarters, in just one week, Operation Delta Safe troops found and shut down 53 illegal refineries, recovered stolen goods, and detained 19 suspected oil thieves.
On Thursday in Abuja, Maj Gen Edward Buba, Director of Defense Media Operations, informed reporters about the activities of the Nigerian Armed Forces across the nation.
According to Buba, the army’ campaign against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region had gained traction.
In addition to 54 dugout pits, 66 boats, 138 storage tanks, 253 cooking ovens, two pumping machines, eight speedboats, 17 hoses, 18 drums, and two cylinders, he said that the army also found and destroyed.
He claims that the military also found 71,650 liters of DPK, 144,980 liters of AGO that had been unlawfully refined, and 983,350 liters of stolen crude oil.
“Troops also neutralised one criminal, rescued three hostages, and recovered one fabricated rifle, 18 vehicles, and a torchlight,” he said.
In the Southeast, Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA conducted a snap operation and arrested suspected IPOB/ESN members in Ikwo and Okigwe local government areas of Ebonyi and Imo states during the week.
The troops neutralised five terrorists, arrested 12 suspected criminals and rescued seven kidnapped hostages, he stated.
“Troops recovered two locally made guns, four rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammo, one FN rifle barrel, IED materials, 10 water gel explosives, three detonators, and one detonating cord, among others. All recovered items, arrested suspects, and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action,” Buba added.
The defence spokesman said the military had uncovered and neutralised some of the criminals’ havens across various theatres of operation, including national parks, game reserves, and forests.
“The military has identified several of these safe havens and operations are targeted towards ensuring that they are completely dismantled. Recently, one of such hideouts in the Southeast was invaded by troops and they found unspeakable and unprintable activities going on in the invaded camps. It goes to tell us that these extremists are cannibals, feasting on fellow human beings and conducting other forms of dastardly acts,” he