Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division have arrested 23 suspected oil thieves, dismantled 13 illegal refineries, and recovered over 180,000 litres of stolen products during intensified operations across the Niger Delta.
Speaking on the operation, Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the actions marked “significant progress in combating economic sabotage” in the region.
Between April 21 and 27, 2025, troops recovered more than 45,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) hidden in sacks within the forests of Orachi/Okolomade, Rivers State’s Abia/Odual Local Council.In another major raid at Obiafo, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Council, troops destroyed an active illegal refining site, seized over 28,000 litres of stolen crude stored in reservoirs, and arrested one suspect while others fled.
Operations in Peterside Community, Bonny Local Council, uncovered three illegal refining pots and receivers alongside 10,000 litres of stolen products.
Along the Obrikom-Omoku axis, two wooden boats carrying over 3,000 litres of AGO were intercepted, with seven suspects apprehended.
In Akwa Ibom State, intelligence-led operations led to the interception of a tanker truck along the Itu-Calabar highway carrying nearly 40,000 litres of stolen AGO.
Two suspects were arrested with fake waybill documents. Another truck carrying a similar quantity of stolen crude was seized along the Abak-Ikomima road in Uyo.
Further discoveries were made in Ibio Ndot Community, Orok Anam Local Council, where 103 nylon bags containing over 3,000 litres of refined AGO were found hidden in a cassava farm.Meanwhile, in Bayelsa State, troops uncovered an illegal refining site in Biseni, Yenagoa, seizing 2,600 litres of AGO.
At Adibawa, also in Yenagoa, they recovered 2,500 litres of crude, 1,100 litres of AGO, and arrested six suspects using eight wheelbarrows for illegal refining.
In Delta State, operations continued to intensify, effectively disrupting oil theft networks.
The General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, praised the troops and urged them to “keep the pressure on economic saboteurs,” calling for public cooperation through credible information.
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (NNFOB) Bonny also played a key role, arresting six suspects and seizing a wooden boat carrying 600 litres of illegally refined AGO disguised with sachet water bags.
Base Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Siraj Almustapha, said: “The suspects and boat were handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution.”Almustapha also stressed the Navy’s commitment to “disrupting criminal activities through routine patrols and protecting critical national infrastructure,” highlighting the evolving tactics of oil thieves.
Divisional Officer of the NSCDC in Bonny, Mamah Sunday, commended the Navy’s efforts, stating: “We are fully ready to pursue these investigations to the end.”
Almustapha recalled that the FOB Bonny Anti-Kidnapping Team had earlier rescued 15 kidnapped passengers near Opuadakiri Community on March 28, 2025, underscoring the military’s broader efforts to ensure security in the waterways.
