Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in a major crackdown on oil thieves, have dismantled 18 illegal refining sites and arrested 17 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta region.
The operations, which took place from February 17 to 23, 2025, also resulted in the recovery of over 25,000 litres of stolen products and the demobilisation of 10 boats.

Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah, in a statement, said the troops recorded significant successes in Rivers State, particularly around Kilometre 45, Idama general area in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.

He said that two active illegal refining sites were destroyed, and three wooden boats loaded with over 9,000 litres of stolen crude were intercepted.

In another operation, Danjuma noted that troops impounded a truck loaded with over 3,000 litres of stolen crude at Ogale Junction along the Eket-Port Harcourt Expressway.

Additionally, he said troops discovered an illegal oil bunkering dump with over 2,100 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) stocked in sacks at Okwuzi in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.

He also stated that the suspected oil thieves fled on sighting the troops, but a wooden boat laden with over 1,000 litres of stolen crude was intercepted inside the creek at the Ogaji-Ama axis in Bukuma.

He said: “During clearance operations at Imo River, two illegal refining sites, 23 drum pots, and 14 drum receivers were destroyed, with over 2,000 litres of stolen crude confiscated.”

While in Bayelsa State, at Clough Creek in Ekeremor LGA, Danjuma said three illegal refining sites were dismantled, one pumping machine was recovered, and over 3,500 litres of crude were seized, as well as two wooden boats demobilized.

Also, he added that an operation was conducted around Biseni in Yenagoa LGA, where troops deactivated one illegal refining site with over 2,000 litres of stolen crude recovered.

In a related development in Delta State, troops intercepted a Toyota Camry with registration number Anambra JJT 876 AE, conveying 16 cellophane bags with an unspecified quantity of illegally refined AGO at Oton Village in Sapele LGA. In a follow-up operation, six suspected oil thieves were arrested. Also, along the Ughelli-Patani Expressway, a tricycle conveying several sacks of illegally refined products was intercepted by the troops.

Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, commended the troops and charged them to sustain the operational tempo. This, he maintained, would deny economic saboteurs any freedom to carry out their nefarious activities in the Niger Delta region.