Troops Foil Attempt To Smuggle N537.09m Worth Of Crude oil And Diesel

Troops of Operation Delta Safe in conjunction with troops of Operation Octopus Grip in Niger Delta, have foiled the attempts by oil thieves to siphon/smuggle 7,805 barrels of crude oil and 2,613 barrels of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, valued at over N537. 09 million, while 17 pipeline vandals were arrested.

Gatekeepers News reports that troops also discovered and destroyed several illegal refining sites, 17 wooden boats, 103 storage tanks, 94 ovens and 58 dugout pits and recovered 10 trucks, one generator, one tanker, two vehicles and eight pumping machines.

Director, Defence Media Operations, Major-Gen. Musa Danmadami, who briefed reporters on Thursday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, said that the recovered AGO is valued at over N134. 6 million and the recovered crude oil is valued at over N402.4 million.

He disclosed that the operations against oil and economic saboteurs were conducted through patrol, raids, clearance and swamp buggy operations in the creeks, villages, communities and towns in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

He said: “Between September 9 and 13, 2022, troops raided suspected criminal hideouts at Okpokumu community in Burutu LGA, Delta State and Iduodah community in Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State and arrested four suspected armed robbers.

“Items recovered from the suspects include two G3 rifles, one locally made pump action gun, one locally made pistol, three G3 magazines, three AK-47 magazines, 280 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 780 rounds of 7.62mm special, MMG metal links, two boafeng radios.”