Nigerian Army Seizes 45,000 Liters of Stolen Petroleum, Arrests 17 Suspects

The Nigerian Army has announced the confiscation of over 45,000 liters of stolen petroleum products and the arrest of at least 17 suspected vandals across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom States.

                                 

The operation was revealed in a statement on Sunday by Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division.

Key Operations and Recoveries

Rivers State

• A Toyota 4Runner SUV carrying 1,600 liters of stolen diesel was intercepted during a patrol in Okarki Community, Ahoada West LGA.

  • The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.

• Troops seized a wooden boat with petroleum products in Degema.

• 23 sacks of refined products were also found in Ahoada West.

• At Obiafor in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, soldiers discovered a vandalized pipeline and recovered stolen condensate, including:

  • A 250-metre hose

  • Three-inch metal pipes

  • Six sacks with 300 liters of illegally refined AGO.

Delta State

• Troops stormed an illegal storage hub in Ogwu Community, Warri South LGA, uncovering:

  • A 20,000-liter storage facility filled with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

  • A tanker truck with more than 10,000 liters of AGO (Edo plate number BEN 223 ZW).

  • Pumping and metering machines.

  • Two empty tanks.

Bayelsa State

• In Biseni, Yenagoa LGA, troops destroyed illegal refineries and dugout pits.

• At Okordia, a Toyota Camry loaded with over 600 liters of AGO was intercepted (plate number ASB 71 BG).

Akwa Ibom State

• Intensified patrols along oil-theft routes disrupted saboteurs’ movement and supply chains.

According to Lieutenant Danjuma, the ongoing operations aim to:

• Protect national resources from criminal sabotage.

• Curtail economic sabotage linked to oil theft.

• Restore environmental balance in the Niger Delta region.

The Army reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong security presence in oil-producing communities.