Military destroys 61 illegal refineries, apprehends 142 suspects in N/Delta
Troops of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe and other operations have discovered and destroyed 61 illegal refining sites and apprehended 142 suspects in Niger Delta region.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, made this known at the bi-weekly news briefing on the operations of the armed forces on Thursday in Abuja.
Danmadami said the troops had continued to sustain the war against oil theft, illegal refineries and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta through aggressive patrols, raids and clearance operations among other activities.
He said the operations were conducted at the creeks, waterways, high sea, towns and cities of Bayelsa, Delta and River States respectively which yielded appreciable results.
Danmadami said the troops also discovered and destroyed 289 storage tanks, 167 ovens, 19 dugout pits, and 13 wooden boats during the period.
He added that the troops also recovered 250,500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 75,000 litres of crude oil and 2,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
According to him, 20 assorted weapons, 359 variety of ammunition, 10 vehicles, two speedboat, two pumping machines and two outboard engine were recovered.
He said a total of 142 suspected criminals were also arrested within the region during the period.
“All recovered items and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.
“It is worth mentioning that the sum of N222.3million only were denied oil thieves,” he said.
Danmadami said the air component also carried out series of air interdiction operations that recorded some remarkable achievement.
He said the air interdiction was carried out at Dokubokiri, an identified illegal refining sites, illegal refining tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products were seen and bombarded.
According to him, the air strike is observed to have set off explosions that burnt down the storage tanks and the reservoirs.
In south East, the defence spokesman said the joint task force, Operation Udo Ka, had sustained the fight against the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) terrorist aimed at restoring peace and normalcy in the zone.
He said the troops had within the period neutralised 18 IPOB/ESN terrorists while 18 were arrested including a high profile gunrunner.
In South West, he said the troops of Operation AWATSE, arrested 101 suspected drug peddlers comprising 96 males and five females as well as recovered assorted substances suspected to be hard drugs.
He added that 16 suspects were also arrested in a raid operation at a criminal hideout at Ajah general area all in Lagos State.
“Items recovered from them include axes, cutlasses, hammers, jack knives, large quantities of substances suspected to be hard drugs and the sum of N700,000 among other items.
“Operational activities were also conducted in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Ekiti States.
“Consequently, within the weeks in review troops arrested 117 suspected drug peddlers, 34 suspected criminals, large quantity of substance suspected to be hard drugs as well as the sum of N782,000 was equally recovered,” he said.
