Army Arrests 69 Suspected Oil Thieves, Dismantles 9 Illegal Refineries in Niger Delta Raid

The Nigerian Army’s 6 Division has announced the arrest of 69 suspected oil thieves, the destruction of nine illegal refineries, and the recovery of over 32,000 litres of stolen petroleum products during a two-week crackdown in the Niger Delta.

This was revealed in a statement on Sunday night by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the division, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma. He stated that the operations, which took place between August 11 and 24, 2025, were conducted in conjunction with other security agencies across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom States.

In Delta State, troops intercepted two trucks transporting over 15,000 litres of illegally refined diesel in Sapele and apprehended three suspects. Additional quantities of diesel were seized in Warri North and One Man Village. In Rivers, three illegal refining sites were shut down in Degema, yielding 7,000 litres of stolen products, while several wooden boats carrying condensates and petroleum were seized in Omoku, Izuoma, and Okrika.

Further operations in Andoni, along the Imo River, and in Bayelsa uncovered refining sites, boats, drums, pipes, and large quantities of crude and illegally refined products. In Akwa Ibom, the army maintained firm control of key operational areas to disrupt criminal activities.

Lt. Col. Danjuma confirmed that all suspects have been handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution, while the seized products are being managed in accordance with established protocols.