By SUMAILA OGBAJE

Troops of Operation Delta Safe, in the last one week, uncovered and destroyed 60 illegal refining sites and apprehended 30 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces on Thursday in Abuja.

Buba said the troops also discovered and destroyed 37 dugout pits, 65 boats, 71 storage tanks, 14 vehicles, 108 cooking ovens, four pump machines and one speedboat.

He said the troops recovered 1.01 million litres of stolen crude oil, 299,169 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,158 litres of DPK.

According to him, troops raided suspected extremist militant hideout in Obot Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom and Akuku-Toru and Okrika Local Government Areas of Rivers.

“Troops also neutralised two violent extremists, apprehended 30 suspected oil thieves and recovered 15 assorted weapons, 234 assorted ammunitions, eight motorcycles, two tricycles and five pairs of woodland camouflage,’’ he said.

In the South East, Buba said the troops of Operation UDOKA arrested suspected violent extremists/insurgents in Isu-Uzo and Edda Local Government Areas of Enugu and Ebonyi States during the week.

He said the troops arrested 15 violent extremists/IPOB members, rescued three kidnapped hostages and recovered weapons, FRSC uniform and police accoutrements. (NAN)