Troops of Operation Delta Safe have arrested 42 suspected oil thieves and recovered large quantities of stolen crude oil and illegally refined products in the last one week.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye disclosed this while briefing journalists on the operations of the armed forces on Thursday in Abuja.
Kangye said the troops recovered 201,345 litres of stolen crude oil, 29,730 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 1,759 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK).
He added that troops also destroyed 18 crude oil cooking ovens, 32 dugout pits, 16 boats, 21 storage tanks, 17 drums and 19 illegal refining sites in the operations.
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Other recovered items include pumping machines, drilling machines, tricycles, motorcycles, mobile phones and 13 vehicles.
“Furthermore, 42 oil thieves and other criminals were arrested, while assorted arms and ammunition and some explosives were also recovered,” he added.
The spokesman also revealed that troops apprehended a notorious cult leader identified as Prince Johnson Ishirim, otherwise known as Commander Junior and 13 other suspected criminals in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Oshimiri, Warri South and Ukwani local government areas of Delta State.
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