Troops of Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE and other operations in the South-South region of the country have arrested a total of 71 criminals and aborted the theft of oil products worth N173,985,650.000 within the last two weeks.
This feat was achieved by the troops in continuation of the sustained the war against oil theft, illegal refineries and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta through aggressive patrols, raids and clearance operations amongst other activities.
Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major-General Musa Danmadami, who disclosed this during the bi-weekly media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, said the operations were conducted at the creeks, waterways, high sea, towns and cities of Bayelsa, Delta, River State, Cross River and Akwa Ibom state, with yielded appreciable results.
He also announced that a total of 27 terrorists and other criminal elements were neutralized, while 167 suspected bandits, political thugs, cattle rustlers and logistics suppliers were arrested across the six geo-political zones of the country between February 23 and March 9, 2023.
In addition, he said, a total of 27 AK47 rifles, 74 sheep and cash sum of NN10,798,680 were recovered, while 42 civilians and other kidnapped victims were successfully rescued from their abductors.
This is even as a total of 1,332 terrorists and members of their families were forced to surrender as they could no longer withstand the onslaught by the Nigerian troops.
Speaking further on the activities of oil thieves in the Niger Delta, Major-general Danmadami said, “Operation DELTA SAFE in the conduct of Operation OCTOPUS GRIP and other operations in the South South zone within the weeks in focus discovered and destroyed 74 illegal refining sites, 341 storage tanks, 31 wooden boats, 260 ovens and 15 dugout pits.
TRACK UP: (DMO) Major General Musa Danmadami
The DMO there by commended the unrelenting efforts of troops and other security agencies in the various theatres of operations across the country, acknowledging the media community their partnership and continued cooperation with the military and other security agencies, in its quest to restore peace and security to our dear Country.
