28th October, 2021
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Troops of Operation Delta Safe have deactivated a total of 27 illegal refining sites across Niger Delta region, in the last two weeks.
The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, disclosed this while giving an update on the operations of armed forces across the country between Oct. 14 and Oct. 28 on Thursday in Abuja.
Onyeuko said the illegal refining sites had 57 ovens, 17 cooking pots/boilers, two cooling systems, 37 reservoirs, nine large dugout pits and 27 storage tanks, drums and sacks laden with illegally refined oil products.
He added that nine suspects were arrested while one dane gun, among other items were recovered in the course of the operations.
According to him, a total of 788,500 litres of illegally refined AGO and 229,000 litres of stolen crude oil were recovered in the course of the operations, while three armed robbers were neutralised and rescued two kidnapped victims.
“Also, five criminals associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period.
“Troops of Operation Delta Safe have remained steadfast in the execution of land, maritime and air operations in the South-South Zone, to forestall activities of economic saboteurs and other criminal elements,” he said.