Military Operation Reveals 3 Million Litres Massive Oil Theft In Rivers State

The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has discovered 14 crude oil reservoirs containing approximately three million litres of stolen crude in Odagwa Etche, located in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Additionally, the Army reported the presence of 49 boilers used for refining the stolen crude in the area before being transported through various channels.

The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Maj-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam conducted journalists on a tour of the crude oil reservoirs in Odagwa Etche.

The visit aimed to provide firsthand information, allowing Nigerians to witness the situation.

Abdussalam revealed that, based on credible intelligence, the division’s officers had uncovered approximately 14 reservoirs within the forest, holding over 200,000 litres of crude oil.

Abdussalam explained that the suspects had constructed multiple tanks and utilized hoses and cables to connect crude oil from abandoned wellheads within the area.

He said, “You can see that this place is in a deep forest. Even if you are using helicopters and military drones, you will not be able to see what we actually saw here on the ground. We have discovered based on credible intelligence which led us to this location.

“We have discovered many illegal activities. As you can see, we have seen reservoirs that can contain upwards of 200, 0000 litres of crude oil.

‘We have discovered about 14 of them in this bush. We have also discovered boilers capable of processing crude oil, about 49 of them all located inside this bush, and we have seen the network of hoses and cables connected around the whole area.”

He added, “The crude oil we have discovered in this place is in excess of the daily crude oil export of Nigeria. This is very pathetic and very sad to note.

“Here, we discovered 14 reservoirs, and each reservoir stored a minimum of 200,000 litres of crude oil. So simple math will give you in excess of three million litres of crude oil that is stored. We are not talking of the ones that have been processed and taken out; these are the ones that we have discovered.

“This place is called Odagwa in Rivers State, and inside this place, we have well heads, many of them. We don’t know the exact number of well heads around here.”

The GOC added that “most of them are not in use, but you can see that it’s from these well heads that these people put their pipes to siphon this oil. Few arrests have been made however, those that we have arrested are not the major players in this business, they are just carriers of the stolen oil.”

He mentioned that the discovery was a part of the Army’s efforts to ensure that the government receives its rightful share.

“The budget has been sent by Mr. President to the National Assembly, and the National Assembly has passed it into law. The executive has also signed it, and it has become law.

“That budget was planned based on some parameters. One of the parameters is the crude oil production we churn out every day. So, any drop in crude oil production affects everybody in this country.

“Our people are not aware of that, and that is why they are involved in this type of business,” he explained.