Nigeria Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Oil Refineries
(MENAFN) The Nigerian army has revealed that it dismantled 19 unlawful crude oil refining operations in the resource-rich Niger Delta region.
This move is part of broader nationwide strategies aimed at reducing the widespread theft of petroleum.
According to Lieut. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, the acting deputy director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, the mission, which focused on smugglers of petroleum products, was conducted between May 19 and 25.
It resulted in the confiscation of approximately 589,000 liters of refined oil products and the apprehension of 20 individuals involved in the illegal trade.
“Operations against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta continue with recorded successes,” Danjuma stated, emphasizing the military's continued commitment to tackling oil theft in the region.
Nigeria suffered petroleum-related losses exceeding USD3 billion in 2023 alone, primarily due to crude oil theft and sabotage of pipelines, as highlighted by Senator Ned Nwoko.
Despite holding confirmed reserves of around 37 billion barrels — about 3.1 percent of the world's total supply — and ranking eighth globally for reserves and sixth in petroleum exports, Nigeria faces persistent instability in the Niger Delta.
The area is often plagued by sabotage, armed violence, and abductions, typically driven by the perception among local populations that they are denied a fair share of oil-generated income and suffer from the adverse environmental impact of oil extraction.
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