The Nigerian Armed Forces have made significant strides in countering oil theft and terrorism in the first quarter of 2025, recovering stolen crude worth over N7.4 billion and eliminating key terrorist leaders.
The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, disclosed these during a press briefing by General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations.
He stated that between January and March 2025, troops under Operation DELTA SAFE foiled the theft of 6,290,437 litres of stolen crude oil, along with 1,319,350 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 6,130 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), and 4,545 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The crackdown led to the destruction of 257 crude oil cooking ovens, 128 dugout pits, 192 boats, 138 storage tanks, 236 drums, and 122 illegal refining sites.
Additionally, security forces confiscated a variety of equipment used in illegal refining, including barges, speedboats, pumping machines, drilling machines, and over 90 vehicles.
The Nigerian military reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the country’s natural resources and tackling economic sabotage in the oil-producing regions.
“The military’s aggressive operational strategy extended beyond economic crimes, with decisive actions taken against terrorist groups such as Boko Haram (BHT) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP/JAS).
“Notably, several high-ranking terrorist commanders, including Abba Allai (aka Amirul Khalid of Alafa), Abdullahi (aka Honour), Jagaban, and Dan Danger, were neutralized. Another key figure, Abdullahi Ali, was captured alive despite suffering severe gunshot wounds,” Kangye stated.
According to military intelligence, the elimination of these commanders has created gaps in the leadership structure of these terrorist factions, leading to internal conflicts and weakening their operational capacity.
He added that this has resulted in infighting among terrorist factions, causing disarray in their ranks.
Kangye disclosed that throughout the quarter, Nigerian troops conducted raids, ambushes, clearance operations, search-and-rescue missions, and air interdiction strikes, yielding remarkable success.
“The Air Force also carried out reconnaissance and close air support missions, significantly degrading terrorist morale and capabilities.
“These operations also led to the arrest of several gunrunners and terrorist logistics suppliers, including Alhaji Mansur Mohammed, Shehu Babangida, Sagi David, Blessing Paul, and Shuaibu Maji.
“Troops recovered an extensive arsenal of weapons, including machine guns, RPG tubes, automatic weapons, locally fabricated firearms, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“Additionally, a large cache of 7.62mm and 9mm ammunition, along with live cartridges, was seized.”
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining military pressure on criminal elements across the country.
It also emphasized that ongoing operations would continue to target terrorists, disrupt their supply chains, and dismantle illicit activities that threaten national security.
The military said it remains resolute in its mission to restore peace, protect citizens, and secure the nation’s resources from exploitation.
