The 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, made a significant discovery in Odagwa Etche, Rivers State, unearthing 14 crude oil reservoirs containing approximately three million liters of stolen crude valued at N3 million. The operation also revealed 49 boilers utilized in refining the stolen crude in the area.
Maj. Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigeria Army, led journalists through the thick forest of Odagwa Etche, expressing his intent to make the public aware of the situation. Abdussalam highlighted that credible intelligence led the division to discover the reservoirs, each capable of storing a minimum of 200,000 liters of crude oil.
He emphasized the challenges faced in locating these illegal activities within the dense forest, stating, “Even if you are using helicopters and military drones, you will not be able to see what we actually saw here on the ground.”
The discovered crude oil, exceeding Nigeria’s daily crude oil export, raised concerns about the impact on the country’s production benchmark and budget. Abdussalam revealed that the Army had made some arrests, though these individuals were not considered major players but carriers of the stolen oil.
In response to the findings, he asserted, “Now that we have found this place with proper intelligence and investigation, we are going to get them. This discovery is part of our efforts to ensure that the government gets what is due to it.”
The General Officer Commanding affirmed the Army’s commitment to combating oil theft to safeguard the country’s economic interests, urging public awareness about the consequences of such illegal activities on national budgets and overall well-being.
