The military high command claims that in the previous two weeks, it has found and destroyed no fewer than 23 illegal crude oil refineries and detained 60 alleged oil thieves.
During a military press briefing in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, revealed this information.
There has been a recent escalation in efforts to combat oil theft, prompted by President LP Bola Tinubu’s directive to security agencies to intensify their efforts in curbing this illegal activity.
Briefing journalists on Thursday, the military spokesman said, “Troops of Operation Delta Safe recovered 367,200 litres of crude oil, 27,150 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 550 assorted rounds of ammunition, 12 calibres of weapons, seven empty.
“Troops equally destroyed 22 illegal refining sites, 15 wooden boats, 34 storage tanks, 96 ovens, and 16 dugout pits, while a total of 60 suspected criminals were apprehended within the period.”
Buba reported that the military successfully prevented the theft of crude oil valued at N202,788,300.00 through recent operations.
He justified the military’s choice to incinerate a ship transporting stolen crude oil destined for Cameroon.
Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and members of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, set fire to an oil tanker carrying 800,000 gallons of stolen crude oil in Delta State on July 11.
The House of Representatives warned the military and other security services not to burn vessels containing stolen crude on Tuesday in response to critiques of the burning of the vessel from various quarters.
On Thursday, Buba responded to the complaints by saying that the burning of the vessel followed military SOPs for dealing with crude oil that had been stolen.
He said, “There are Standard Operating Procedures concerning arrested vehicles, equipment, and vessels, among others, that are associated with oil theft. That procedure stipulates that such equipment, vehicle, or vessels should be destroyed instantly.”
Asked if the military would be amending the law, he said, “In the military, we work with instructions. Whatever instructions we get, we operate with it. If it is reviewed, we will operate with it. We do not make the laws, we work with the law given to us.”
