The Joint Task Force, codenamed, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), says it has arrested four suspects and recovered 48,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Rivers.
The Commander, Rear Adm. John Okeke, said in a statement on Monday in Yenagoa that the arrest and recovery were made by the Operation Delta safe Quick Response Force.
Okeke said that following reliable intelligence report, the force apprehended one of the suspects while driving an open-body truck covered with tarpaulin along Abuloma Road.
“The truck was carrying 28 containers, each with a capacity of 1,000 litres of crude oil, totalling 28,000 litres. The truck and its contents were immediately secured,” he said.
The commander further said that the force recently conducted an anti-illegal bunkering operation within the Elele general operation area in Port Harcourt.
He said that the team intercepted a tanker truck laden with approximately 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
“The tanker and its contents were consequently seized and handled in line with our operational procedures.
“So we have successfully handled two trucks and seized approximately 48,000 litres of stolen crude oil during these operations,” he said.
Okeke said that four suspects were apprehended in connection with the crimes.
He added that the operations were part of the OPDS’s ongoing efforts to safeguard economic resources and ensure security in the region.
The commander reiterated the force’s commitment toward stamping out illegal oil refining and oil facility vandalism in the region