LAGOS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops operating in the oil-rich southern region have destroyed 39 illegal refineries during the fight against economic saboteurs and other criminal elements, a military spokesperson said on Thursday.
Speaking at a media briefing on ongoing military operations across the country in Abuja, Benard Onyeuko, the military spokesperson, said troops from the Operation Delta Safe deactivated the sites, which were identified in the southern states of Rivers, Abia, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta.
"Consequently, in the last two weeks, troops discovered and immobilized a total of 39 illegal refining sites, 91 cooking ovens, 24 reservoirs, 17 large dugout pits, and 96 storage tanks," he told reporters.
According to him, 637,500 liters of illegally refined automotive gas oil and 950,000 liters of stolen crude oil were recovered in the course of the operations.
The spokesperson said 10 people associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period.
He said troops also recovered some weapons and wooden boats, among other items, from the suspects who used them for illegal oil bunkering activities.
Oil pipeline vandalism and oil theft were frequently reported in Africa's largest oil producer, causing huge economic losses and even claiming lives each year. ■
