Also, about 45 suspected oil thieves were arrested by troops and crude products worth over N1bn were recovered from them during the operations to combat oil theft in the South-South region of the country.
The Director, Defence Media Operation, Defence Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing journalists on military interventions across the country in the last one week.
He added that 76 kidnapped citizens were rescued during various operations across the country during the week under review.
Buba said, “During the course of operations in the last one week, the military neutralized 151 terrorists, arrested 456 terrorists, and arrested 45 perpetrators of oil theft. Troops also rescued 76 kidnapped hostages and denied oil theft of the sum of N1,011,851,250.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 21 dugout pits, 56 boats, 138 storage tanks, 235 cooking ovens, 6 pumping machines, one outboard engine, 2 speedboats, 89 illegal refining sites, and the sum of N13,950. Troops recovered about 1,205,950 litres of stolen crude oil, 452,910 litres of illegally refined AGO, 22,650 litres of PMS, and 3,000 litres of DPK.”
Buba said troops recovered a total of 216 assorted weapons and 443 assorted ammunition.
He said, “The breakdown of the 62 AK47 rifles, seven pump action guns, 19 dane guns, three berreta pistol, 10 locally fabricated rifles, five locally made pistols, 399 IED detonator primers, 225 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 round of 9mm ammo, 20 rounds of 7.62mm x 54mm, 57 cartridges, 49 magazines, 21 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, one tricycle, three mobile phones and the sum of N3,194,450.00. ”
Buba said the military was aware that the sponsors of the criminal gangs are in the citizens enjoying the proceeds of crimes, adding that the military would stop at nothing to apprehend them.
He said, “Interestingly, the perpetrators of the terrorist and insurgency activities are using it as a guise for their personal gain through illegal mining and other unlawful activities. For instance, the foot soldiers carry out the illegal mining from mining pits, while their sponsors are in the cities and towns, moving around as normal citizens to dispose the proceeds.”
