By Linus Aleke
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), said, troops of Operation Delta Safe, uncovered and destroyed 42 illegal refining sites, 36 wooden boats, 68 storage tanks, 77 ovens, 19 dugout pits, four speedboats and five outboard engines, in one week.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, in a statement, disclosed that a total of 41
suspected criminals were apprehended within the period.
The troops, he said, also recovered 498,650 litres of crude oil, 168,145 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, and 4,400 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosine.
These, he noted, is in addition to 152 assorted rounds of ammunition, 23 calibers of weapons and eight AK47 magazines.
Others, General Buba, said include: six vehicles, two boafeng radios, one 8HP, electric saw, matchets, axe and IPOB flag dagger.
He said that an estimated sum of Three Hundred and Eighty Eight Million Four Hundred and Forty One Thousand Six Hundred and Sixty Naira was denied the oil thefts during the period in focus.
According to the statement, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria is engaged in several operations across the six
geopolitical zones to tackle the security challenges confronting the nation. As at 28 July 23, the military has neutralized 59 terrorists, arrested a total number of 88 criminals, 10 kidnappers, 20 gunmen and 42 suspected oil thefts.Troops have also rescued 88 kidnapped hostages. In the course of operations across the country troops recovered a total number of 68 weapons and 1,364 ammunition”.
The aggressive posture of troops, General Buba said, is yielding the desired results and denying the perpetrators of insecurity in the country the freedom of action, adding, the sustained momentum by the military would certainly cause them to reconsider their decision.
The military, he concluded would continue to take the fight to defeat these forces of evil.
