Military tracks N388m stolen crude, arrests 22
The military high command announced on Thursday that troops on patrol in the Niger Delta area prevented a crude oil heist worth N388,469,650.00 and apprehended 22 thieves oil thieves.
Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, Director, Defence Media Operations, announced this in Abuja while updating journalists on the military’s activities over the recent week.
Edward said, “Troops in the Niger Delta discovered and destroyed 38 dugout pits, 21 boats, 57 storage tanks, three tapping hoses, four drum receivers, 89 cooking ovens, six pumping machines, three outboard engines, and 34 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 696,250 litres of stolen crude oil, 54,400 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 1,200 litres PMS.
In an update on the counter-insurgency campaign, the military spokesman stated that in the last week, 191 terrorists were killed and 184 were detained.
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He also stated that troops apprehended two high-profile Islamic State for West African Province militants in Niger State’s Tafa and Suleja local government areas.
On September 21, the terrorist kingpins were apprehended during clearance operations performed by troops in coordination with other security personnel.
He said, “On September 21, 2023, troops in conjunction with sister agency personnel raided terrorists’ hideouts in Tafa and Suleja LGAs of Niger State. During the operations, troops arrested two high-profile ISWAP terrorists.
“Also, On September 20, 2023, troops on patrol raided criminal hideouts in AMAC of FCT. During the operation, troops arrested 51 suspects and impounded three vehicles for various offenses. All have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.”
According to Edward, troops rescued 91 abduction victims and 104 Boko Haram/ISWAP militants and their families across multiple theatres of operation.
