Bunkerers Flee as Troops Storm Rivers Oil Theft Site, Abandon Equipment in Panic
Troops of the 16 Brigade Garrison under the Joint Task Force South South Operation Delta Safe (JTF OPDS) have intensified their crackdown on oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta, forcing suspected vandals and oil thieves to abandon their operations and flee from key illegal sites.
Commander of the 16 Brigade Garrison, Lieutenant Colonel MS Kaigama, disclosed this on Tuesday when a team of Defence correspondents visited a once-thriving illegal bunkering site at the abandoned Old Agip oil wellhead, known as Adibawa Well 8, in Edagberi community of Rivers State.
The visit was part of a Defence Media Operations tour of the JTF OPDS Area of Responsibility, aimed at giving journalists firsthand insight into the military’s efforts in combating oil theft and environmental sabotage in the region.
“Before now, there were a lot of bunkering activities in this general area,” Lt. Col. Kaigama told journalists. “But we were able to constantly visit this place and make sure that there were no bunkering activities for some time.”
As the troops and reporters approached the site, suspected bunkerers reportedly fled in panic, leaving behind some of their equipment. The soldiers subsequently destroyed the illegal storage tanks and other materials used in siphoning crude oil.
“You could see somebody’s shoe because possibly he saw us, abandoned the shoe and ran away,” Lt. Col. Kaigama remarked, pointing to one of the remnants left behind during the raid.
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The military’s efforts come amid longstanding concerns about environmental degradation and revenue losses due to illegal bunkering across oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta. According to the commander, the offensive is not limited to Edagberi alone.
“We continue to come here and we frustrate them. This is not the only place. There are so many other places like this that we have been going to make sure that the bunkering activities are not taking place,” he said.
The terrain, which includes winding creeks, marshlands, and dense forests, poses a significant challenge to troops. Yet the soldiers navigate these areas relentlessly in a bid to track and dismantle illegal bunkering networks.
“You could see the way we followed—it was a very difficult terrain to get here. But I can tell you that this is one of the easiest places that we could access,” Kaigama added, underscoring the difficulty of reaching these remote hotspots.
During the visit, the Defence correspondents witnessed the destruction of several bunkering equipment and took note of the strategic to methods the military employs to identify, raid, and eliminate such criminal hubs.
With the ongoing presence of military patrols and targeted operations, authorities believe the activities of oil thieves are being significantly disrupted.
As Operation Delta Safe continues, military leaders reaffirm their commitment to maintaining pressure on bunkerers and ensuring the protection of national assets in the region.
By PRNigeria
