Troops on operation against oil thieves and bunkerers in the Niger Delta region seized N869,283,765.00 worth of petroleum products in the past week.
The troops also destroyed 22 illegal refining sites and arrested 49 oil thieves and bunkerers.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, announced this in a statement yesterday.
He said the troops recovered 325,990 litres of stolen crude, 24,645 litres of illegally refined diesel, 19,500 litres of petrol and 1,600 litres of engine oil.
Kangye said: “The troops discovered and destroyed 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 dugout pits, 25 boats, a speedboat, 18 storage tanks, and 316 drums and 22 illegal refining sites.”
Giving updates about troops operations in other regions, the defence spokesman said troops of Operation UDO KA killed an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nkwachi Eze (aka Onowu), during a firefight in IPOB’s hideouts in Uzo-Uwani and Ndoni local government areas of Enugu and Rivers states.
“Troops arrested several extremists and rescued three kidnapped victims,” Kangye said.
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“Items recovered from the criminals include AK-47 rifles, locally fabricated rifles, pump action guns, locally made pistols, assorted rounds of ammunition, extra magazines and IEDs. Vehicles, motorcycles and mobile phones and customized clothes with Biafra Liberation Army inscribed on them.”
On the operation in the North West, the defence spokesman said troops arrested two suspected Lakurawa terrorist members in Arewa and Tangaza local government areas of Kebbi and Sokoto states.
“They also recovered weapons, a motorcycle, beverages and the sum of N4,450.00,” he said.
He said troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North East conducted offensive operations including fighting patrols, raids and clearance operations in Buturam Village Village in Gujba local government area of Yobe State and Mai Dunamari in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.
“During the operations, some terrorists were neutralised and others apprehended. They also recovered Ak47 rifles, dane guns, locally fabricated rifles and assorted rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition as well as Unexploded Ordnances.
“In a well-coordinated operation from 4 to 10 April 2025 in Maiduguri Metropolitan Municipal Council, Mobbar, Damasak and Konduga local government areas of Borno State as well as Geidam and Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. Troops intercepted nine terrorists’ logistics suppliers and recovered logistics supplies from them as well as the sum of N235,330.00 only.
“On 4 April 2025, troops while on fighting patrol, came under terrorists’ attack in Gwoza local government area of Borno State. The troops successfully repelled the attack, neutralized several of them and recovered some weapons.”
Kangye said scores of ISWAP/JAS terrorists surrendered to troops between April 4 and 9.
