JTF arrests 29 oil thieves, destroys 127 illegal refineries

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the
Niger Delta has nabbed 29 oil thieves and
destroyed 127 illegal oil refineries in
various locations in the area.
The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt.-Col.
Onyema Nwachukwu, who made the
disclosure in a statement on Sunday in
Yenagoa, said that the anti-oil theft
operations were carried out between Sept.
16 and Sept. 28.
“Between 16th and 28th of Sept., we carried
out multiple anti-oil-theft operations in
which a total of 29 suspects were arrested
for oil theft related offences.
“Anti-oil theft troops of the Joint Task Force
`Operation Pulo Shield’ also crushed 127
illegal crude oil distillation sites in the
Niger Delta.’’
The JTF spokesman explained that troops of
the 19 and 3 Battalions of the JTF, covering
Edo and Delta also scuttled 24 illegal oil
distillation camps and 73 wooden boats.
“31 of the 73 boats were intercepted at an
illegal crude oil loading point close to an
abandoned oil well-head in Okpoghare in
Warri North.’’
He said that another 27 arrested boats
were intercepted in Egara Creek in the
Warri South Local Government Area of
Delta.
Nwachukwu said that the operation also
swept through Ajide in Lagos; Makara,
Egwu Aghara Waterside in Warri North;
West, Warri South West and Ethiope West
Local Government Areas of Delta.
“JTF operatives also intercepted 61 pieces of
75 HP speed boats and a truck laden with
33,000 litres of automated gas oil in the
afore mentioned areas which are notorious
for oil theft.
“502 drums, 22 steel tanks, four
plastic surface tanks, 77 metal
drums laden with stolen crude oil and four
pumping machines used by the oil thieves
were also scuttled during the operation,’’
Nwachukwu said.
Also in Bayelsa, JTF troops of the 343
Regiment, patrolling the waterways of
Oyeregbere, Lagosbene and Mansokiri
communities in Southern Ijaw Local
Government Area of the state, destroyed 98
illegal crude oil dumps.
The JTF spokesman said that 119 illegal
distillation tanks and 37 large open wooden
boats, laden with stolen crude oil and
illegally distilled automated gas oil were
destroyed by troops.
He said that troops of the 29 Battalion and
its Gunboat Patrol Team, covering the
Sector 2 area of Bayelsa, in a separate anti-
oil-theft operation, arrested a vessel, MT
Tora Eagle with 11 crew members.
“The troops also arrested a barge with
three crew members along Bodo Waterway
and Akassa Creek in Rivers and Bayelsa,
respectively.
“The barge was intercepted while conveying
uncertain quantity of illegally obtained
crude oil, while the vessel was laden with
3,600 drums of stolen petroleum products.
“The troops also scuttled five illegal crude
oil distillation sites and 10 wooden boats
filled with stolen crude oil along Lewe,
Bodo, Elem Sagangama, Oluwasiri and
Bodo West in Rivers State.’’
Nwachukwu said that all the suspects were
undergoing preliminary investigations, after
which they would be handed over to
relevant prosecuting agencies for
prosecution. (NAN)