The 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army yesterday said it has destroyed 15 illegal fuel reservoirs in the last one month in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
This was just as the command also destroyed 13, 000 litres of stolen crude oil and 33,000 litres of illegally refined AGO (Diesel).
The command in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Captain Abubakar Abdullahi, said the onslaught “is in line with our desire to eradicate crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism in our area of responsibilities”.
He said the menace of oil bunkerers and pipeline vandals was a threat to the nation’s economy and therefore solicits for accurate information from the public.
Abubakar disclosed that the sector had carried out 592 anti-oil bunkering patrol and raids; during which 98 refineries, 141 boats and 15 tanker trucks were destroyed.
According to him, “93 surface tanks, 1,709 drums of illegally refined product, 10 pumping machines and three weapons were also seized and destroyed.
“In addition, 75 persons were arrested and have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution,” he added.
