Troops seized N1.3 billion worth petroleum products, arrest 285 oil thieves in July

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that troops of Operation Delta Safe recovered petroleum products worth N1,312,575,085 and arrested 285 in July.

It said troops discovered and destroyed 73 illegal refining sites, 126 crude oil cooking ovens, 39 boats, 83 storage tanks, and 88 drums. 

The Director Defence Media Operations Maj-Gen Markus Kangye announced this in a statement on Friday. 

“The breakdown indicates of the petroleum products are 974,976 litres of stolen crude oil, 269,257 litres of illegally refined Diesel, 1,759 litres of Kerosene, and 3,447 litres of Peteol. 

“Furthermore, 285 oil thieves and other criminals were arrested, while assorted arms and ammunition and some explosives, were also recovered.”

Giving further updates on troops successes last month, the defence spokesman said troops killed several terrorists, arrested 578 suspected kidnappers and gunrunners, and rescued 134 kidnap victims.

He said 151 terrorists and their family members surrendered to troops within the period. 

According Kangye, among the terrorists eliminated were terrorist commanders Yellow Danbokolo, Amir Dunkei, Kachalla Nagomma, Gurmu and Ali Yar Daribiyar.

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He said some of the suspected kidnappers and gunrunners taken into custody for interrogation were Yakubu Jubril, Abubakar Yahaya, Isiya Sani, Haruna AbdullahiAli Abba, Mallam Aminu Idris, Mohammed Hamisu (aka Mamiyo or Officer Mohammed), Shuaibu Bulama and Isah Abdullahi as well as Abdullahi Mohammed. 

Others, according to the defence spokesman, are notorious cultists Prince Justin Ishimiri and an extremist kingpin Liamdoo Douglas Adekpe (aka Bajor). 

He said airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted several bombardment in Mariga and Rijau Local Government Areas of Niger State and between the border of Zamfara and Kebbi States, leading to killing of several terrorists.