The Armed Forces of Nigeria says troops of Operation Delta Safe have in the last two weeks, discovered and immobilized a total of 39 illegal refining sites, 91 cooking ovens, 24 reservoirs, 17 large dugout pits and 96 storage tanks.
Director Defence Media Operations Major General Benard Onyeuko who disclosed this to newsmen Thursday at the Defence Headquarters Abuja said, a total of 637,500 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil; 950,000 litres of stolen crude oil were recovered in the course of the operations.
“In addition, 10 criminals associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period. Also, troops recovered 3 assorted arms, 48 rounds of the different calibre of ammunition, 2 AK-47 rifle magazines as well as 17 pieces of galvanized pipes and 23 wooden boats among other items used for illegal oil bunkering activities in the course of the operations.
“All the arrested criminals and recovered items have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further action,” he said.
Some of these operations, Onyeuko said, were executed at different locations in villages, creeks and towns in Emohua, Ikwere, Port Harcourt and Ahoada LGAs of Rivers State. Other locations are villages, towns and creeks in; Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North LGAs of Delta State as well as in Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs of Bayelsa State. Also, operations were conducted at Opobo creek and some communities in Mbo LGA of Akwa Ibom State as well as Ukwa West LGA of Abia State, which yielded significant results within the period under review.
In other operations across the country, General Onyeuko noted that troops have killed 37 terrorists and arrested 17 others, while 21 assorted arms and 117 rounds of different calibres of ammunition were recovered.
“Additionally, troops rescued a total of 16 abducted civilians within the period. A total of 863 terrorists and their families comprising 136 adult males, 251 adult females and 476 children surrendered to their own troops deployed at different locations, including; Banki, Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza and Gamboru towns in Borno State, within the period.
“The surrendered terrorists have been properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.
“Relatedly, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI scored devastating hits on terrorists’ stronghold at Arina Chiki village in the Lake Chad Basin in Borno State, which resulted in the neutralization of scores of the terrorist, while several others escaped with various degrees of injuries.
“This feat was achieved on the 14 January 2022, when on the heels of credible intelligence, a force package of NAF platforms were dispatched to attacked the identified location which the terrorists used as the venue for biweekly meetings. Consequently, the NAF platforms took out the terrorists in successful turns of airstrikes,” he added.
General Onyueko assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies across the country have and will continue to maintain their stand in the efforts to deny criminal elements freedom of action.