The Defence Headquarters reported that within the past week, troops of Operation Delta Safe retrieved a total of 578,900 litres of stolen crude oil, 454,330 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, and 10,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene.
They also demolished 50 illegal oil refining sites in the Niger Delta region and apprehended 51 suspects.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed these details during a press briefing in Abuja, stating that the troops additionally neutralized four criminals and confiscated arms and ammunition.
He mentioned that the troops demolished 245 dugout pits, 31 boats, 69 storage tanks, one tricycle, 23 vehicles, 162 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, and three outboard engines. Additionally, on November 14 in the Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River, the troops eliminated a notorious criminal and seized one locally made pistol.
“On Nov. 15, troops with hybrid forces raided suspected drugs peddlers’ hideout in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta and arrested six suspects.
“The maritime component of Operation Delta Safe on Nov. 17, conducted a search and rescue operation following a distress call on a missing Cameroonian-flagged motor Fishing Vessel MFV AFKI with registration number UK12 and number AFKI 8432780.
“After frantic surveillance, maritime component traced and made contact with the vessel 17 nautical miles off Pennington terminal.
“The vessel was recovered with two foreign crew members onboard,” he said.
Buba stated that in the South East, Operation UDO KA’s troops eliminated six criminals, detained 14 suspected IPOB/ESN members, and successfully rescued two kidnapped hostages.
They also seized a pump action gun, a double barrel gun, a locally made pistol, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, a motorcycle, and two mobile phones, among other items.
All recovered items, arrested individuals, and liberated hostages were transferred to the appropriate authorities for further processing.
