Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in partnership with other agencies have destroyed 14 illegal refineries, arrested 16 suspected oil thieves and confiscated over 24,000 litres of stolen products.
The Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, confirmed the development in a statement yesterday.
Danjuma said in Bayelsa State, troops destroyed two active illegal refining sites around Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA) while over 8,000 litres of stolen crude, and over 3,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) stocked in sacks were recovered.
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He said other items recovered were a generator, welding and cutting materials, adding that around Adibawa also in Yenagoa LGA, troops deactivated one illegal refining site, beside Oando Wellhead with over 2,000 litres of stolen crude and 800 illegally refined AGO confiscated.
Danjuma said in Rivers State, a truck with Reg No KBT 220 XB Kano was intercepted at Refinery checkpoint in Okrika LGA, explaining that the truck was loaded with 140 sacks of stolen crude, estimated to be over 7,500 litres.
He, however, said the driver absconded and abandoned the vehicle on sighting troops.