According to the Defence Headquarters, in only one week, Operation Delta Safe troops found and shut down 53 illicit 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 on the activities of the Nigerian Armed Forces around the nation.
According to Buba, the army’ campaign against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta area has 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 processed, and 983,350 liters of stolen crude oil.
In addition, he added, “troops neutralized one criminal, freed three hostages, and found one fake rifle, 18 vehicles, and a torchlight.”
Buba said that throughout the week in the Southeast, the Operation UDO KA soldiers detained alleged IPOB/ESN members in the Ikwo and Okigwe local government areas of the states of Ebonyi and Imo.
He said the military killed five terrorists, detained twelve others they believed to be criminals, and freed seven captives who had been taken hostage.
“Among other things, the troops found two locally produced firearms, four rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition, a rifle barrel from a FN, IED components, ten water gel explosives, three detonators, and a detonating wire. The appropriate authorities received all confiscated things, detained suspects, and freed hostages for further action, according to Buba.
The military has located and destroyed some of the criminals’ hideouts in several theaters of action, including national parks, wildlife reserves, and woods, according to the defense spokesperson.
The military has located a number of these safe havens, and activities are being directed towards making sure that they are totally destroyed. Invading forces recently discovered terrible and unprintable actions taking place in one of these hideouts in the Southeast. This proves that these fanatics are cannibals who feast on other people and engage in other nefarious activities, he claimed.