22 oil thieves arrested as military intercepts N388m stolen crude oil

The military high command said that troops on operation in the Niger Delta area foiled the theft of crude oil to the tune of N388,469,650.00 and arrested 22 suspected oil thieves.

 The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, disclosed this on Thursday, Sept. 28, while briefing journalists in Abuja on the activities of the military in the last one week.

Edward said, “Troops in the Niger Delta discovered and destroyed 38 dugout pits, 21 boats, 57 storage tanks, three tapping hoses, four drum receivers, 89 cooking ovens, six pumping machines, three outboard engines, and 34 illegal refining sites.  

Troops recovered 696,250 litres of stolen crude oil, 54,400 litres of illegally refined AGO, and 1,200 litres PMS.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has pledged to support the military in discharging its constitutional duties.  

This was stated by the Vice President, KashimShettima at the convention of the cadets of 70 Regular Course at Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna State.

Shettima, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, said the academy remains a vital institution in Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.

He called on the graduates to continue playing their constitutional role of defending the territorial integrity of the country, adding that the knowledge acquired at the academy should be used in assisting the current administration to actualise its Renewed Hope Agenda for the citizenry.