In a major crackdown, the military have recovered over 53 million litres of stolen crude oil and refined petroleum products valued at N57 billion in 2024.
This was disclosed yesterday by Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, during a press briefing in Abuja.
He stressed the military’s commitment to combating oil theft, protecting national assets, and improving security across the country.
Buba said the reports from the Defence Headquarters stated that the recoveries included 53,101,430 litres of stolen crude oil, 9,179,181 litres of illegally refined diesel, 90,595 litres of kerosene, and 156,095 litres of petrol.
“The total estimated value of these recoveries stands at N57 billion,” Buba stated.
Beyond the crackdown on oil theft, Buba provided an overview of the military’s broader operations in 2024, highlighting significant successes in the fight against terrorism and other security threats.
He added that since the beginning of the year, troops have neutralized 8,034 terrorists, arrested 11,623 suspects, and rescued 6,376 hostages.
He noted that the troops also seized a large cache of weapons, including 4,053 AK-47 rifles, 1,123 locally fabricated guns, 731 dane guns, and 240 pump-action guns.
Buba maintained that the the ammunition recovered includes 120,247 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 41,515 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 5,373 cartridges, and 25,664 rounds of assorted ammunition.
He added that the military’s successes spanned the five active theatres of operation across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South, and South-East regions. These areas have been the focus of efforts to counter various security challenges.
Buba stressed that the military remains on high alert to neutralize terrorist threats and secure the nation.
