Army 6 Division Dismantles Seven Illegal Refineries, Arrests Four Oil Thieves, Seizing Over 109,000 Litres Worth N150m in Niger Delta

The Nigerian Army has struck a significant blow against economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta, announcing, the arrest of four suspected oil thieves and the seizure of petroleum products valued at over N150 million.

The operations, conducted over the last two weeks by the 6 Division troops in conjunction with other security agencies, successfully crippled parts of the illicit oil trade network across several states, including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Delta.

According to a statement released by the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, the sustained onslaught led to the dismantling of seven illegal refining sites and the recovery of 109,355 litres of stolen products.

“In the latest operations conducted between 10 and 23 November 2025, seven illegal refining sites were dismantled, four suspected oil thieves were arrested, and over 109,000 litres of stolen products were recovered across the Niger Delta region,” Danjuma confirmed. “The total value of the products recovered amounted to over N150m only.”

Major Hubs Destroyed

The bulk of the stolen products consisted of over 88,000 litres of crude oil and 21,355 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel. Major success was recorded around Okolomade in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, where three illegal refining sites were deactivated.

Furthermore, troops raided a compound at Abuloma in Okrika LGA, where they uncovered about 1,050 sacks containing over 32,000 litres of stolen crude, highlighting the complex methods used by the thieves to transport and hide their illicit cargo.

Major General Emmanuel Emekah, the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division, commended the troops for their resilience and charged them to sustain the high operational tempo to effectively deny economic criminals freedom of operation across the region.