Oil theft: Troops intercept 8 suspects, recover stolen products in Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom

Troops of the Nigerian Army, 6 Division, have intercepted eight (8) suspects engaging in illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states.

Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Lt.Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma disclosed this in a statement made available to Newspot.

He said the suspects were intercepted along the Nun River in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area with two (2) fibre boats with sacks of stolen products estimated to be over one thousand (1,000) litres.

“At Clough Creek in Ekeremor Local Government Area, troops intercepted one suspect with vandalised NAOC armoured cables, one saw, one iron bar and a shovel in a locally made wooden boat.

“Also, at Apuama in Southern Ijaw, troops deactivated one illegal refining site and confiscated over 3,000 stolen products.

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“This feat was also recorded at Okegbene creeks, where 2 illegal refining sites, drums and one wooden boat were destroyed.

“The operations also led to the confiscation of over 10,000 litres of stolen products. Same was also done at Obotoro Creek, where one wooden boat was intercepted with over 1,500 litres of stolen crude,” he disclosed.

Danjuma also said the troops intercepted six (6) drums of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, estimated to be one thousand, five hundred (1,500) litres at Ibaka waterside in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State.

He said,”The products were being primed for onward smuggling to a neighbouring country through the waterways.

“All the persons arrested have been handed over to the prosecuting agency, while products confiscated are handled appropriately in compliance with subsisting mandates in the region.”