Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division have apprehended eight individuals involved in illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, and other criminal activities across Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states.
In a statement, the Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, confirmed the arrests, detailing how the suspects were intercepted in separate operations.
“Along the Nun River in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, troops intercepted two fibre boats loaded with sacks containing over 1,000 litres of stolen products,” Danjuma revealed.
In another operation at Clough Creek in Ekeremor Local Government Area, troops arrested a suspect found with vandalized NAOC armoured cables, alongside tools like a saw, an iron bar, and a shovel in a locally made wooden boat.
“At Apuama in Southern Ijaw, our troops deactivated an illegal refining site and confiscated over 3,000 litres of stolen products,” Danjuma added.
Further successes were recorded at the Okegbene creeks, where troops destroyed two illegal refining sites, multiple drums, and one wooden boat. Additionally, over 10,000 litres of stolen crude products were recovered. A similar operation was carried out at Obotoro Creek, where another wooden boat containing 1,500 litres of stolen crude was intercepted.
Lt. Col. Danjuma also highlighted the interception of six drums of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to approximately 1,500 litres, at the Ibaka waterside in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom. “The products were being prepared for smuggling to a neighbouring country via the waterways,” he said.
All arrested individuals have been handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency, while the confiscated products are being managed according to established protocols for the region.
