The Nation Newspaper

Tag: stolen crude

  • Troops seize N800m stolen crude, arrest 49 oil thieves, rescue kidnap victims

    Troops seize N800m stolen crude, arrest 49 oil thieves, rescue kidnap victims

    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.

    Read Also; FULL STEPS: How to escape high electricity bills, switch​ to gas-powered generators

    “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.

  • Military seized four million litres of stolen crude in one month

    Military seized four million litres of stolen crude in one month

    • Kills 624 terrorists, rescues 553 hostages

    Troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) in the Niger Delta seized 4,124, 970 litres of stolen crude this month.

    The troops also recovered 793,796 litres of diesel and 4,480 litres of petrol.

    Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen Edward Buba, announced this yesterday at a briefing in Abuja.

    He said troops across the country killed 624 terrorists, arrested 1,051 criminals and their logistic suppliers and informants, and rescued 563 kidnap victims in the outgoing month.

    Gen. Buba said the troops also seized 707 assorted weapons,16,487 assorted ammunition.

    The weapons recovered, according to the spokesperson, were 411 AK47 rifles, 234 locally fabricated guns, 43 pump action guns, and 231 dane guns.

    Read Also: President condoles with Jimi Agbaje over son’s death

    He said: “The ammunition recovered are 10,782 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 4,310 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1,623 rounds 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 1,023 rounds of 511 rounds of 9mm and 2,100 live cartridges.”

    The spokesperson said the operational environment and synergy between security and intelligence agencies had “greatly assisted in the optimal performance of troops in the conduct of operations’’.

    He added: “Troops are admirably making progress in the ongoing counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations across the country and will continue until the terrorists are completely decimated.

    “The progress made is through the cumulative effort of killing the terrorist leaders, commanders and combatants,as well as, taking away their most important assets such as logistics, administrative and fighting capabilities. These all combine to destroy the will to fight off the terrorists and their cohorts.

    “Troops have continued to receive tremendous institutional support and are receiving increasing popular support in the conduct of operations. Indeed, The level of troops’ stamina and commitment to completely destroying the terrorist remains unwavering.”

  • Military seizes 962,500 litres of stolen crude

    Military seizes 962,500 litres of stolen crude

    • Kills 73 terrorists, arrests 14 oil thieves

    Troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), a military operation against oil theft and economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta, have seized 962,500 of stolen crude oil, 35,420 litres of diesel and 38,450 litres of kerosene.

    The troops also arrested 14 oil thieves and destroyed 63 illegal refineries during operations in the past week.

    The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this yesterday at a briefing at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

    He said: “The operations of the last one week resulted in 73 neutralised terrorists with 182 of them arrested. Troops also arrested 14 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 68 kidnapped hostages. In the Southsouth, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of N1, 212,046,140.00.

    Read Also: Military seizes 962,500 litres of stolen crude, kill 73 terrorists

    “Furthermore, troops recovered 119 assorted weapons and 1,537 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: one GPMG, three PKT guns, 39 AK47 rifles, five locally fabricated rifles, one locally made double barrel gun, one Barreta pistols, four locally made pistols, five RPG bombs, five pump action guns, one short gun, one hand grenade, two Dane guns, one AK47 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special, one locally made pistol loaded with live cartridges.

    “Others are 586 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, a bag containing 287 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 389 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 141 rounds of 7.62mm special (belted) ammo, 12 rounds of 9mm ammo, 113 rounds of live cartridges, 25 empty magazine, 13 vehicles, three motorcycles, 10 mobile phones, two HH radio, one boafeng radio and the sum of N3,308,700.00 among other items.”