On November 27, 2012, a worker labours at an illegal oil refinery plant close to the Nun River in the Nigerian oil state of Bayelsa. Thousands of Nigerians breach into pipelines to steal crude, which is subsequently refined or sold overseas. This practice is known locally as “oil bunkering.” According to the finance ministry, the practice, which shoots oil out of pipelines for kilometres, was responsible for about 5% of Nigeria’s production last year, which was two million barrels per day. Photo dated November 27, 2012. REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye (Nigeria – Subject: Industrial Energy & Business Environment Society) Editors, take note: picture 23 out of 28 is part of the package “NIGERIA’S ILLEGAL OIL BUNKERERS.” PUT ALL IMAGES IN THE SEARCH ‘OIL BUNKERING’ – RTR3CGYO

In several anti-illegal bunkering operations in the Niger Delta, Nigerian Army troops from the 6th Division have neutralised two individuals who are suspected of being oil thieves and arrested eighteen others.
The division’s spokesman, Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, stated in a statement on Monday in Port Harcourt that the operations took place in Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa.

According to Mr. Danjuma, the military also took out seven boats, two AK-47 weapons, 60,000 gallons of pilfered petroleum products, and demolished thirteen illicit refineries.

He added that eight unauthorised connection points that had been put on pipelines and wellheads had been found during the procedures.

According to the army officer, during a raid on illegal refining sites in Ahoada West Local Government Area, vandals engaged the military in gun combat.

In the process, two vandals were neutralised. Eight magazines, 69 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition, and two AK-47 assault rifles were found, the spokesperson stated.

Mr. Danjuma went on to say that during an operation in Bille, Rivers, troops demolished four illicit refining installations, took two boats, and confiscated 6,000 litres of stolen petroleum products.

“Two wooden boats carrying more than 5,000 litres of petroleum products were intercepted by military in Odagba village, near the Imo River. Two cars and four motorcycles that had been left behind by suspected oil thieves were also seized.

He said, “It was discovered that the cars and motorbikes had over 28 sack bags, which together held 1,700 litres of stolen petroleum products.”

According to the spokesperson, three illicit refining installations in Rivers were destroyed by soldiers during previous operations at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Okirika.

Ten metal tanks and four wooden boats were also destroyed. More than 6,000 gallons of pilfered petroleum products were found, the speaker declared.

In Delta, the army spokesman said that soldiers intercepted a wooden boat siphoning crude oil from Wellhead 8 at Okpoko Oil Field, Warri South Local Government Area.

He reported that during an operation in the Ika North Local Government Area, nine individuals were taken into custody and two thousand litres of stolen crude oil were found.

According to Mr. Danjuma, soldiers demolished three illicit refining operations in Ekeremor, Bayelsa, detained nine individuals, retrieved 1,500 and 14,000 litres of crude oil, and intercepted four boats.

Six barrels carrying 1,500 gallons of fuel were found by our men at Mbo, Akwa Ibom. The drums were being transported to a neighbouring country through the waterways.

He declared, “The suspects have been turned over to the appropriate agencies for additional investigations and potential prosecution.”