The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, says it has arrested eight suspected oil thieves in its operations last week in the region.
The task force with its headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said it also raided illegal distillation camps where the outfit destroyed illegal refineries.
Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt. Col. Ado Isa, said in a statement yesterday that the outfit’s Sector 5 special squad deployed in Nigeria Agip Oil Company flow station in Akri community of Imo State, discovered an oil theft syndicate that specialised in pipeline vandalism.
Isa said the suspects, Mr Longinus Adizua and Ijeoma Chidi, both indigenes of Oguta Local Government Area of the state were arrested while vandalising an oil pipeline belonging to Agip.
He said items recovered from the alleged bunkerers comprised handsaw and blades, four mobile phones, four 4-inch hose and undisclosed amount of money.
The JMCC coordinator said the suspects and items recovered were handed over to 34 Artillery Brigade Provost Group for further investigation.
In another development, Isa said Sector 1 anti-illegal oil theft operating along Sapele-Warri checkpoint in Delta State, also arrested Mr. Colllins Duru and Chidi Eme for illegal oil bunkering.
He said the arrest was the aftermath of a discovery of three vehicles loaded with suspected illegally acquired Automated Gas Oil (diesel) parked on the premises of Jes Mota Company in Sapele.
