Taskforce Destroys 39 Artisanal Refineries …Recovers 950,000 Litres Of Stolen Crude

The Joint Taskforce operating in the Niger Delta region, codenamed Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), says it has discovered and immobilised 39 illegal refining sites, 91 cooking ovens, 24 reservoirs, 17 large dugout pits and 96 storage tanks in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States in the last two weeks.
OPDS also recovered a total of 637,500 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and 950,000 litres of stolen crude oil during the course of the operations.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Major-General Bernard Onyeuko, disclosed that 10 suspects associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period under review.
Onyeuko said troops of OPDS conducted these operations at different locations in villages, creeks and towns in Emohua, Ikwerre, Port Harcourt and Ahoada Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Other locations, according to him, are villages, towns and creeks in Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North LGAs of Delta State as well as in Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs of Bayelsa State.
“Also, troops recovered 3 assorted arms, 48 rounds of different calibre of ammunitions, two AK-47 rifle magazines as well as 17 pieces of galvanized pipes and 23 wooden boats among other items used for illegal oil bunkering activities in the course of the operations.
“All the arrested criminals and recovered items have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further action.”