By Linus Aleke
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Thursday, said, troops of operation Delta Safe in the conduct of Operation Octopus Grip and other operations in the South South Zone, discovered and destroyed no fewer than 61 illegal refining sites, 289 storage tanks, 167 ovens, 19 dugout pits, and 13 wooden boats, in two weeks.
The Director Defence Media Operation, Major General Musa Danmadami, made this disclosure during the defence, and other security agencies biweekly briefing in Abuja.
Gen. Danmadami also, revealed that a total sum of two hundred and twenty two million, three hundred and thirty –
eight thousand, four hundred and thirty naira (N222,338,430.00) only were denied these oilthieves.
“Troops equally recovered 250,500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 75,000 litres
of crude oil, 2,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 20 assorted weapons, 359 variety of ammunition, 10 vehicles, 2 speedboat, 2 pumping machines and 2 outboard engine, while a total of 142 suspected criminals were also arrested,” he said.
Gen. Danmadami noted that troops of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe and other operations in the South South region of the country have 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 amongst other activities.
According to him, “Operations were conducted at the creeks, waterways, high sea, towns and cities of Bayelsa, Delta and River State respectively which
yielded appreciable results. Precisely, on 11 February 2023, troops raided an identified criminal houses at different locations within Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State and arrested 8 suspects. Troops also recovered 10 dane guns, 1 GPMG belt with 212 6rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 340 rounds of 7.62mm special, 2 AK47 magazines, 3 G3 rifle magazines, a pair of woodland camouflage with beret, 8 mobile phones, boafeng radio, substance suspected to be hard drug and other sundry items”.
Also, troops raided an identified notorious criminal hideout on the wanted list of troops at Abua Odual Local
Government Area of Rivers State, who fled on sighting troops.
Troops, he said, searched the area and recovered 1 AK47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
He added that all recovered items and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.
In a related development, the air component of Operation Delta Safe carried out series of air interdiction operation within the theatre of operation that recorded some remarkable achievement.
An air interdiction operation, Gen. Danmadami said, was conducted at Dokubokiri an identified illegal refining sites, illegal refining tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products were seen and bombarded.
He concluded that the air strike was observed to have set off explosions that burnt down the storage tanks and the reservoirs.
