Nigerian Army Busts Illegal Bunkering Sites, Recovers 300,000 Litres of Crude Oil

• Troops from 6 Division dismantled 13 illegal bunkering sites, recovering 300,000 litres of stolen petroleum products across four states
• The operation resulted in 15 arrests, destruction of 150 locally-made ovens, and seizure of equipment used in illegal oil refining

Troops from the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt have dismantled 13 illegal bunkering sites and recovered over 300,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.

Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah, Deputy Director of Public Relations for the division, revealed on Sunday that the operations were conducted from January 20 to 26, 2025, in collaboration with other security agencies.

The operations led to the arrest of 15 suspects and the destruction of more than 150 locally-made ovens and four boats used in illegal oil refining.

At Ugo Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, troops discovered a vandalized site containing 252,000 litres of stolen crude oil. Equipment like pumping machines, hoses, and pipes were also recovered.

In Delta State’s Ethiope West LGA, troops intercepted a 30,000-litre capacity tanker without a license plate, siphoning crude oil from a pipeline in the Ovade area. Approximately 15,000 litres of crude had been stolen before the interception.

In Rivers State, troops confiscated over 10,000 litres of stolen products along the Imo River corridor. They discovered an active illegal refining site in Odagwa and recovered a pump-action gun during follow-up operations.

In Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA), troops dismantled three illegal refining clusters equipped with ten cooking drums, eight reservoirs, and other tools. Similarly, in Asari-Toru LGA, they uncovered hidden jerricans containing over 1,500 litres of illegally refined products.

Operations in ONELGA’s Abacheke area led to the discovery of four refining sites with 145 oven drums, 95 sacks holding 5,700 litres of stolen AGO, and a 3,500-litre reservoir. Eight suspects were arrested.

Additional operations in Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states uncovered illegal storage facilities, refining sites, and stolen petroleum products.

Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, General Officer Commanding the 6 Division, praised the troops’ efforts and warned oil thieves to abandon illegal activities or face intensified military action.