Troops Deactivate Seven Illegal Refining Sites, Confiscate N150m Stolen Products

Troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, in their latest operations conducted with other security agencies between 10 and 23 November 2025, have deactivated several illegal refining sites, arrested four suspected oil thieves, and recovered over 109,000 litres of stolen products across the Niger Delta region.

The products include over 88,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 21,355 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO).

And the total cost of the products recovered amounted to over one hundred and fifty million naira only.

The Acting Deputy Director of Division 6 of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, in a statement, said the feat was in a sustained effort aimed at consolidating the operational successes recorded; troops of Division 6 have sustained the crackdown against oil thieves across the Niger Delta Region (NDR).

Operations conducted in Rivers State around Okolomade in Ahoada West Local Government Area (LGA) led to the deactivation of three illegal refining sites, three big pots, four big receivers and three big coolants, with over 40,000 litres of stolen crude and 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO recovered. At the fringes of the Imo River, troops discovered three illegal refining sites, eight drum pots, seven drum receivers, one fibre boat and over 14,700 litres of stolen crude around Asa, Obeakpo, Lekuma and Abiama in Oyigbo LGA.

Relatedly, following credible intelligence, troops stormed a compound at Abuloma in Okrika LGA, where they discovered about 1,050 sacks filled with over 32,000 litres of stolen crude.

He noted that at Abonnema Creek in Akuku-Toru LGA, troops intercepted a Cotonou boat loaded with 25 sacks filled with over 1,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.

Also, in Akwa Ibom State, troops conducted a raid on a suspected storage facility at Ikot Akpan, Ekparakwa, along the Abak–Ikot Abasi road in Abak LGA. During the operations, over 520 litres of illegally refined AGO stored in a drum and ten jerrycans, as well as several empty jerrycans, were recovered.

In Delta State, troops conducted an operation at the DAEWOO yard within the Ekpan area in Uvwie LGA. On sighting troops, the suspected oil thieves fled into nearby creeks with wooden boats loaded with jerrycans. Troops also discovered three 25-litre jerrycans filled with 75 litres of crude oil. Meanwhile, in Bayelsa State, troops have continued to deny criminal elements freedom of action.

While commending the troops for their resilience, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, charged them to sustain the tempo in ensuring that economic saboteurs are effectively denied freedom of action in the NDR.

The GOC also called on the good people of the region to continue supporting military operations by providing credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements in their domain.