Troops of Operation Delta Safe have arrested 42 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta region of the country.
The troops also destroyed 23 illegal refining sites including storage tanks, cooking equipment among others.
In a statement on the troops operations on Thursday in Abuja, Director of Defence Media, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, said the success was recorded within two weeks of operations.
“Troops also conducted patrols and buggy operations in the zone during which several illegal refineries, storage tanks, wooden boats, coking ovens, dug out pits were destroyed.
“Cumulatively, within the two weeks in review, troops discovered and destroyed 23 illegal refining sites, 87 wooden boats, seven speed boats, 284 storage tanks, 160 coking ovens, three fibre boats and 18 dugout pits.
“Troops also recovered 2.5 litres of crude oil, 133,824 litres of diesel and 7,000 litres of kerosene.
“Also recovered were 16 tankers, one vessel, eight pumping machines, and two motorcycles.
“Forty-two criminals were arrested during the operations.
“All recovered items and apprehended criminals were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.”
Danmadami noted that three suspected oil thieves who were tracked and monitored to Adige, Urhiakpa and Mission Road in the Sapele Local Government Area of Delta during the execution of Operation Octopus Grip.
He also added that troops have continued to sustain aggressive patrols to curb crude oil theft and illegal bunkering within the Nigerian maritime environment.
“The troops also impounded a vessel, MT DEIMA, with the capacity to hold 1500 tonnes of crude oil for illegal bunkering at the Sara area of Escravos Channel on October 7. The troops arrested the vessel’s eight crew members,” the defence spokesperson added.
