Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters Denies Oil Thieves Over N700Million
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
As the price for petroleum product continues to increase in the capital city, Abuja, Defence Headquarters says it has denied oil thieves an estimated sum of N744, 153,900 million only.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who disclosed this through a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, said the armed forces is engaged in multiple fronts targeting terrorist and their cohorts and dismantling their military capabilities.
According to him, in the Niger Delta Region, the military is rejigging ongoing operations to combat crude oil theft hence troops recovered 715,325 litres of stolen crude oil and 148,415 litres of illegally refined AGO within the week under review.
He said the redesigned strategy aims to nip the menace of crude oil theft in the bud through a comprehensive approach and as such, operations would be conducted through a unified command structure for all security agencies operating in the Niger Delta.
In the Niger Delta area, according to him, troops discovered and destroyed 11 dugout pits, five boats and 20 storage tanks; counting other items recovered to include 31 cooking ovens, five vehicles, three mobile phones and 31 illegal refining sites.
Buba also revealed that troops neutralised 125 and arrested 200 persons and as well arrested 20 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 140 kidnapped hostages.
He restated that the military is in a good and strong position in the war against terrorism and has killed many terrorist leaders as the operation continues to focus at providing security and stability for the nation and the citizenry.
