The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of Operation Delta Safe arrested 49 oil theft suspects and dismantled 22 illegal refining sites in the past week.
Markus Kangye, director of defence media operations, announced in a weekly report on military operations across the country on Friday in Abuja.
Kangye said the troops thwarted oil theft valued at an estimated N869.2 million during the period.
The director said that the recovered items included 325,990 litres of stolen crude oil, 24,645 litres of illegally refined automotive gas oil, 19,500 litres of premium motor spirit, and 1,600 litres of engine oil.
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“Additionally, troops discovered and destroyed 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 dugout pits, 25 boats, a speedboat, 18 storage tanks, 316 drums and 22 illegal refining sites,” he said.
“Other items recovered include a generator set, jack, galvanised pipes, pumping machines, drilling machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones and 18 vehicles.”
Kangye said the military, alongside other security agencies, continued to exhibit bravery, discipline, and professionalism amid evolving security challenges.
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He added that troops killed several insurgents, rescued hostages, apprehended suspects, and recovered arms and ammunition during the week.
“Our operations have continued across various theatres of operations comprising the North East, North West, North Central South-South and other regions where criminals seek to disrupt peace and stability,” he said.
“Between April 3 and April 10, troops recovered huge quantities of assorted arms including various kinds of machine guns, RPG tubes, automatic weapons as well as locally fabricated guns and Improvised Explosive Devices.
“Additionally, a huge cache of assorted 7.62mm and 9mm ammunition, as well as live cartridges were also recovered.”
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Kangye added that troops remained committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens.
