Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, on
Sunday said that it arrested eight suspected oil thieves and destroyed
17 illegal refineries in multiple raids.
A statement issued by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Media Coordination of
JTF in Yenagoa, said the anti-oil theft raids were conducted from Feb.
11 to Feb. 18.
Nwachukwu said that several items were seized during the operation in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo.
He said that the JTF troops in Edo and Delta destroyed five illegal
oil distillation sites and 40 boats and seized 300 metal tanks, 64
plastic storage tanks, 72 drums and 68 cooking ovens.
He added that four pumping machines and one Lister Generator were seized at Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta.
The spokesman said the troops also intercepted a locally made tug
boat conveying 30 drums of stolen petroleum at Ajide on Benin River in
Edo.
He said that six suspects were arrested during the operation and
moved to the Tactical Headquarters of the Battalions for preliminary
investigation.
In another development, Nwachukwu said JTF personnel patrolling the
waterways and creeks on Soku-Ofumakiri, Bolo, Oloma and Isaka in Rivers,
destroyed four illegal refineries.
He said 40 cooking ovens, 30 plastic storage tanks, 50 drums, one
welding machine, two pumping machines and a 45 KVA generator were
seized.
He said two suspects arrested in the operation were assisting investigators at the Sector 2 of the JTF in Port Harcourt.
“Our troops patrolling the waterways in Bayelsa have shutdown eight illegal crude oil distillation sites.
“The troops also destroyed six “cotonou“ boats used by oil thieves in
Tebidaba and Igbematoru communities of Southern Ijaw Local Government
Area of Bayelsa.
“The operatives also destroyed 69 metal drums and two pumping
machines used by the oil thieves to operate their illegal refineries,”
Nwachukwu said.
He said that the eight suspects would be handed over to relevant prosecuting agencies after preliminary investigations.
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