The Nigerian armed forces say it has engaged in multiple fronts targeting terrorists and their cohorts and dismantling their military capabilities.
At a briefing forJournalists on the on-going Military Operations across its theatres of operations on Friday in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba explained that in the Niger Delta Region, the military is rejigging ongoing operations to combat crude oil theft.
Accordingly, the redesigned strategy aims at curbing the menace of crude oil theft through a comprehensive approach, Operations would therefore be conducted through a unified command structure for all security agencies operating in the Niger Delta.
Additionally, the military says operations would target specific areas that have significant capability to boost crude oil production.
According to General Buba, the targeted areas includes, but are not limited to enforcing and ensuring transparency by International Oil Companies operating in the region.
Others are; ensuring the integrity of the metering systems deployed at flow stations, as operations will also embark on the tracking of point of loading to destination point of the crude oil.
“Furthermore, operations will also concentrate on surveillance of the pipelines, jackets and well head to forestall breaches. Overall, operations will galvanise the support of the people of the Niger Delta as well as the stakeholders in the oil sector to support the drive to boost the nations oil production.Importantly,operations will ensure prosecution of culprits engaged in crude oil theft”.
“Meanwhile, during the week under review, troops neutralised 125 and arrested 200 persons. Troops also arrested 20 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 140 kidnapped hostages. In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Forty Four Million One Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand Nine Hundred Naira (N744,153,900.00) only.
Furthermore, troops recovered 120 assorted weapons and 1,793 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 56 AK47 rifles, 26 locally fabricated gun, 22 dane guns, one SMG rifle, 7 pump action guns, one fabricated barretta pistol, 7 locally made guns, 5 x 60mm mortar bomb Unexploded Ordinances and 2 small rubber gun powder.
Others are: 1,244 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 383 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 88 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 78 live cartridges, 24 empty case of 7.62mm ammo, 21 AK47 magazines, one baofeng radio, 6 vehicles, 11 motorcycles, 5 bicycles, 38 mobile phones and the sum of N2,737,145.00 only amongst other items.Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 11 dugout pits, 5 boats and 20 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 31 cooking ovens, 5 vehicles, 3 mobile phones and 31 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 715,325 litres of stolen crude oil and 148,415 litres of illegally refined AGO”. he noted.
On the whole, the military noted that it is in a good and strong position in the war against terrorists with many terrorist leaders killed.
“Our operation continues to focus on providing security and stability for the nation and citizens”.