The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Niger Delta said it arrested 11 suspected oil thieves and destroyed 27 illegal refineries in multiple raids.
This is contained in a statement issued by Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the JTF Media Coordinator, in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
Nwachukwu said the raids were carried out between July 26 and Aug. 9, on land and maritime locations in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta.
He said that five of the suspects were arrested while siphoning oil from pipelines in Otokomabie Creek in Rivers.
“Troops of the 146 Battalion of Sector 2 of the JTF deployed in Bonny Island intercepted the suspects on the Trans-Niger Pipeline where PPMC and SPDC pipelines are laid.
“The suspects were arrested with three fibre speedboats and three barges with which they carried out their illicit activities.
“In another development, youths of Ogala Community in the Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers facilitated the arrest of a truck used for illegal bunkering activities.
“The truck, laden with illegally-sourced crude oil was reported to JTF land patrols that promptly swung into action and impounded the vehicle,” he said.
He said that JTF troops on patrol on waterways in Mbikiba and Lagosbene in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa raided and destroyed 11 illegal crude oil distilleries.
The spokesman said the team also destroyed seven open wooden boats used by oil thieves.
Nwachukwu said that the anti-oil-theft operation in Delta uncovered and destroyed 16 illegal crude oil distilleries in Ugbokodo, Ajudigho, Saghara, Obegugu and Oghara in the Warri South and Ethiope West Local Government Areas.
He said that the troops intercepted 10 wooden boats conveying adulterated automated gas oil (AGO).
The spokesman said three of the boats were laden with 15,000 litres each; six had contained 20,000 litres each, while one was laden with 33,000 litres.