The Nigerian military says its troops operating in the Niger Delta region have recovered N2.4 billion worth of stolen petroleum products from oil thieves in the last two weeks.
Major-General Musa Danmadami, director, Defence Media Operations (DMO) who made this known in Abuja on Thursday, said the troops of operation Dakatar da Barawo and Safe Haven also destroyed a total of 68 illegal refining sites between 20 October – 3 November 2022.
“Cumulatively, within the weeks under review, oil thieves were denied a total of 54,547 barrels of crude oil, 817, 900 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 5,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and 10,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene amounting to the sum of N2,435,021,343.94 ,” he said.
In the North East Zone, the director disclosed that the troops of operation Hadin Kai in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force at custom Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp Shuwari town in Maiduguri Local Government Area of Borno State, arrested one suspect in possession of 67 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He said the suspect is currently in custody of the soldiers for further interrogation.
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Musa, further said troops arrested 27 suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists, killed 19 and recovered assorted weapons. He also informed that a total of 145 Boko Haram Terrorists and their families comprising 30 adult males, 33 adult females and 82 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the North East theatre of operation.
In the North West Zone, the director said troops of operation Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch killed 25 terrorists, rescued 19 civilians and arrested 18 terrorists. He said troops also recovered 10 AK47 rifles, among several other weapons.
In the North Central Zone of the Country, he said the troops sustained the onslaught against terrorists and other criminal elements in their general area of operation which yielded tremendous success, noting that in a coordinated operation between the land component and the air component, troops repelled an attack by the Boko Haram Terrorist/ISWAP terrorists at Wawa Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
