Week-long operation nets massive haul as troops dismantle criminal networks
Port Harcourt, Rivers State – A week of intensive raids by the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division has dealt a crushing blow to oil theft syndicates across the Niger Delta, with 62 suspected criminals now in custody and over 350,000 litres of stolen petroleum products seized. The July 14-20 operations also saw troops destroy 14 illegal refining sites that had been bleeding the nation’s oil wealth.
Rivers State: The Big Catch
The most dramatic success came at Joinkrama 4 in Ahoada West, where troops discovered what amounted to an industrial-scale theft operation built around an abandoned wellhead. Six sophisticated illegal refining sites were churning out stolen products worth millions of naira.
“Six large ovens, reservoirs, and receivers containing approximately 300,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 21,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were handled in line with the subsisting operational mandate,” reported Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations.
The scale was staggering. Beyond the stolen oil, troops seized generator sets, welding machines, and other equipment that showed this wasn’t amateur hour these were well-organized criminal enterprises.
Joint Forces Strike Back
The success story wasn’t just about the Nigerian Army going it alone. Coordinated efforts with other security agencies created a net that oil thieves couldn’t escape. While criminals in one area tried to flee, they found themselves running straight into waiting forces.
Each of the 14 destroyed illegal refining sites represents months or years of criminal investment now reduced to scrap metal and ash. For the communities that have watched their environment poisoned by these operations, it’s a welcome sight.
Command Satisfaction and Future Plans
Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, had every reason to be pleased with his troops’ performance. The numbers speak for themselves 62 arrests, hundreds of thousands of litres recovered, and major infrastructure destroyed.
The GOC’s message to his forces was clear: keep up the pressure. Oil theft and pipeline vandalism have cost Nigeria billions, and this sustained campaign aims to make criminal operations too risky and expensive to continue.
The War Continues
This week’s victories represent just one chapter in a longer battle for Nigeria’s oil resources. The 6 Division’s commitment to maintaining high operational tempo means criminals can’t simply wait for things to cool down and resume operations.
For ordinary Nigerians watching fuel prices and wondering where their oil wealth goes, these operations offer hope that someone is fighting back against the theft that has plagued the Niger Delta for decades.
By Abdullah Korede
