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Security operatives in the Niger Delta region have shut down an illegal refinery in efforts to combat the activities of illegal miners. Troops of the Nigerian Army, along with personnel from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the private security outfit Tantita, discovered the site in Owahwa community in Delta State. The operation was conducted following an intelligence report, and a sting operation led to the seizure of 35 modular ovens, 3 fabricated reservoirs, 30 dug-out reservoirs, and 75 galvanized pipes used for illegal refining of crude oil. Oil theft in Nigeria is a recurring problem, with significant economic consequences.
Security operatives have taken action to prevent illegal mining activities in the Niger Delta region by shutting down an illegal refinery in the area.
Over the weekend, troops of the Nigerian Army’s 181 Amphibious Battalion operating in the 6 Division area, along with other security agencies, discovered a major illegal oil refining site in Owahwa community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
In a joint operation, the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and private security outfit Tantita uncovered the illegal fuel mining site based on an intelligence report. They found 35 modular ovens, 3 fabricated reservoirs, 30 dug-out reservoirs, and 75 galvanized pipes used for the illegal refining of crude oil.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated, “The combined team of anti-oil theft troops discovered this illegal oil refining site on July 29, 2023, following a surveillance report on the illicit activities of illegal oil refiners in the area.”
Gen. Onyema urged Nigerians to support the ongoing fight against oil theft by reporting any suspected illicit oil refining and bunkering activities to the security agencies.
Oil theft is a recurrent issue in Nigeria and poses a threat to the country’s economy. The government is making efforts to eliminate this menace.
In the Niger Delta region, where most of Nigeria’s crude oil is found, individuals and groups engage in illegal oil extraction and refining for commercial gain, often by breaking oil pipes. According to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at N16.25tn, to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020.
These illegal activities have had a negative impact on the country’s economy, and efforts are being made to address the issue.
In a recent meeting with President Tinubu, prominent Niger Delta leader and former agitator Mujahid Asari Dokubo pledged his support to the Federal Government in its efforts to eliminate oil theft. He believes that the current administration will identify and hold accountable those involved in oil theft, including elements within the military.
