By Chimezie Godfrey
In a sustained effort to deny oil thieves freedom of action in South South Nigeria and protect the Oil sector from economic sabotage, troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army (NA) operating in 6 Division Area of Responsibility, in conjunction with operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as operatives of Tantita Security, have uncovered a major illegal oil refining site at Owahwa community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu revealed that the combined team of anti oil theft troops made the discovery on Saturday 29 July 2023 in a sting operation following a surveillance report on the illicit activities of illegal oil refiners in the area.
“The vigilant troops on storming the illegal refining site, discovered 35 Modular Ovens used for illegal refining of crude oil, 3 fabricated Reservoirs, 30 Dug out Reservoirs and 75 Galvanized pipes.
“The operatives have since clamped down the illegal refining site.
“The Nigerian Army enjoins all law abiding citizens to continue to support the ongoing anti oil theft operations by reporting all suspected illicit oil refining and bunkering activities in their areas to the security agencies,” Brig-Gen. Nwachukwu stated.
