Troops of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, have sustained the crackdown against oil thieves across the Niger Delta, leading to the recovery of over 109,000 litres of stolen petroleum products and the deactivation of seven illegal refineries in the region.
Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Lieutenant Colonel and Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, in a release on November 24, 2025, said the successes recorded were in collaboration with other security agencies.
He said, “In the latest operations conducted between 10 and 23 November 2025, several illegal refining sites were taken out, four suspected oil thieves were arrested with over 109,000 litres of stolen products recovered across the NDR.
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“These include over 88,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 21,355 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO). The total cost of the products recovered amounted to over one hundred and fifty million Naira only,” he said.
Danjuma said, Operations conducted in Rivers State around Okolomade in Ahoada West Local Government Area (LGA) led to the deactivation of three illegal refining sites, three big pots, four big receivers and three big coolants, with over 40,000 litres of stolen crude and 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO recovered.
“At the fringes of the Imo River, troops discovered three illegal refining sites, eight drum pots, seven drum receivers, one fibre boat and over 14,700 litres of stolen crude around Asa, Obeakpo, Lekuma and Abiama in Oyigbo LGA,” he said.
The 6 Division PRO said that, following credible intelligence, troops stormed a compound at Abuloma in Okrika LGA, where they discovered about 1,050 sacks filled with over 32,000 litres of stolen crude, adding that at Abonnema Creek in Akuku-Toru LGA, troops intercepted a Cotonou boat loaded with 25 sacks filled with over 1,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
“Also, in Akwa Ibom State, troops conducted a raid on a suspected storage facility at Ikot Akpan, Ekparakwa, along the Abak–Ikot Abasi road in Abak LGA. During the operations, over 520 litres of illegally refined AGO stored in a drum and ten jerricans, as well as several empty jerricans, were recovered.
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“In Delta State, troops conducted an operation at DAEWOO yard within Ekpan area in Uvwie LGA. On sighting troops, the suspected oil thieves fled into nearby creeks with wooden boats loaded with jerricans.
“Troops also discovered three 25-litre jerricans filled with 75 litres of crude oil. Meanwhile, in Bayelsa State, troops have continued to deny criminal elements freedom of action,” Danjuma said.
Emmanuel Eric Emekah, Major General and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has commended the troops for their resilience, while charging them to sustain the tempo in ensuring that economic saboteurs are effectively denied freedom of action in the Niger Delta.
Emekah also called on Niger Delta people to continue supporting military operations by providing credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements in their domain.
