In the last two weeks, troops have intercepted stolen crude worth N1.2 billion, the Defence Headquarters disclosed.
Following the interception, the Defence Headquarters said Nigeria’s oil production capacity increased in September.
Making this known, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba vowed to incapacitate terrorists from conducting small-scale attacks on soft targets.
Buba said while briefing journalists on the activities of the Military in the past two weeks.
He also said troops, during their operations, killed 73 terrorists, arrested 182, and rescued 68 hostages in one week.
He said, “The ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations have prevented these evil elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives.
“The Military will continue to degrade their ability to carry out small-scale attacks which are intended to create panic in localities.”
The director noted that the troops identified and destroyed 63 illegal refining sites containing 15 dugout pits, 45 boats, 87 storage tanks, 128 cooking ovens, one pumping machine, four outboard engines and arrested 14 suspected oil thieves.
Buba added that the troops recovered 962,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 35,420 litres of illegally refined AGO, 38,450 litres of DPK, and 45,000 litres of PMS with an estimated value of N1,212,046,140.
Similarly, the Headquarters of Sector 2 Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin said its troops have neutralized six Boko Haram terrorists in separate operations conducted in two local government areas of Yobe State.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Sector’s Acting Assistant Director Public Relations, Captain Muhammad Shehu.
According to the statement, the troops recorded the feats in continuation of the ongoing operation to rid the North East of terrorism, insurgency and sundry crimes.
“In recent operations, troops of 159 Battalion acting on actionable intelligence on 25th October 2023, staged an ambush against marauding insurgents who were harassing civilians and collecting levies from the locals.
“During the encounter the troops neutralized two terrorists and recovered weapons and items including two AK-47 rifles, two motorcycles and a mobile phone in a fierce fire fight, while others escaped in disarray with gun shot injuries at Jororo village in Geidam Local Government Area (LGA) of Yobe State,” the statement said.