THE 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of 29 suspected oil thieves, the destruction of 24 illegal refineries, and the recovery of over 60,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in the Niger Delta region.
In a statement issued by the acting deputy director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations in Port Harcourt, Jonah Danjuma, on Monday, the Army said the success followed a tip-off about suspected illegal bunkering activities in some states of the Niger Delta.
“The operations were conducted across the Niger Delta from 3rd and 9th February, 2025. In clearance operations conducted by troops, along the Imo River, 6 illegal refining sites were deactivated, 113 drum pots and 83 drum receivers were destroyed. This was in addition to two boats demobilised with over 18,000 litres of stolen products recovered. Also, around Asa in Obigbo Local Government Area, troops uncovered a reservoir with over 1,000 litres of stolen products as well as 100 sacks filled with over 1,500 litres of stolen crude” it said.
The ICIR reported the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) claiming it uncovered 179 incidents of crude oil theft in January 2025.
The NNPC said crude oil theft and vandalism had continued to hamper the state-owned energy firm’s production targets and destroyed its infrastructure, thereby leading to revenue loss for the country.
In the same vein, the executive secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Orji Ogbonaya Orji, toldThe ICIR that Nigeria lost about 619 barrels valued at $46.16 billion (N16.25trillion) from oil theft in 2022.
Danjuma added that the troops also intercepted the movement of a suspected oil thief, who fled and abandoned his vehicle, a Sienna bus with Registration number Lagos APP 89 CV which was loaded with 15 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.