Nigerian Armed Forces Achieve Significant Milestones in Anti-Oil Theft Campaign”

The Nigerian Armed Forces says their intensified campaign against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta has yielded positive results, with a noticeable increase in the nation’s crude oil production.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, stated this while addressing newsmen on the activities of troops in their various theatres of operation across the six geopolitical zones of the country over the past week.

According to him, although daily production targets have not yet been fully achieved, the military remains committed to sustaining this renewed vigor until these goals are met and exceeded.

He further explained that, in the past week, troops arrested 23 individuals involved in oil theft and rescued 113 kidnapped hostages in the South-South region, adding that the operations successfully prevented the theft of crude oil valued at approximately N943 million.

General Buba emphasized that the military’s efforts have also led to the discovery and destruction of 84 illegal refining sites, 15 dugout pits, 27 storage tanks, 920,800 liters of stolen crude oil, 88,760 liters of illegally refined AGO, and 7,500 liters of PMS, among other items.

Additionally, during the week under review, troops neutralized 147 hostile elements and arrested 381 individuals across various operations.

The military also recovered a significant cache of weapons, including 74 assorted firearms and 3,498 rounds of ammunition.

General Buba maintained that ongoing military operations in other parts of the country remain focused on eliminating threats and neutralizing enemies wherever they may be hiding.

The military stressed that winning the war against insecurity depends not only on their efforts, weapons, and finances but also on the active participation of the public.

Aisha Adesanya