Metro

Army Uncovers 3m Litres Of Stolen Oil In Rivers

Published

2 years ago

January 18, 2024

The 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, has uncovered 14 crude oil reservoirs containing about three million litres of stolen crude in Odagwa Etche in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Also, the Army said the reservoir has 49 boilers used in refining stolen crude in the area, which is then moved out through various channels.

The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Maj-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, while conducting newsmen around the reservoirs located in the thick forest of Odagwa Etche on Thursday, said his decision to bring the journalists to the scene was for them to see things for themselves so that Nigerians will know what is happening.

Abdusalam disclosed that through credible intelligence, officers of the division were able to discover about 14 reservoirs that contained upward of about 200,000 litres of crude oil inside the forest.

Abdusalam said the suspects constructed various tanks and used hoses and cables to connect crude oil from abandoned wellheads located within the area.

He said, “You can see that this place is in a deep forest. Even if you are using helicopters and military drones, you will not be able to see what we actually saw here on the ground. We have discovered based on credible intelligence which led us to this location.

“We have discovered many illegal activities. As you can see, we have seen reservoirs that can contain upwards of 200, 0000 litres of crude oil.

‘We have discovered about 14 of them in this bush. We have also discovered boilers capable of processing crude oil about 49 of them all located inside this bush and we have seen the network of hoses and cables connected around the whole area.”

He added, “The crude oil we have discovered in this place is in excess of the daily crude oil export of Nigeria. This is very pathetic and very sad to note.

“Here, we discovered 14 reservoirs and each reservoir stored a minimum of 200,000 litres of crude oil. So simple math will give you in excess of three million litres of crude oil that is stored. We are not talking of the ones that have been processed and taken out; these are the ones that we have discovered.

“This place is called Odagwa in Rivers State and inside this place we have well heads, many of them we don’t know the exact number of well heads around here.”

The GOC added that “most of them are not in use, but you can see that it’s from these well heads that these people put their pipes to siphon this oil. Few arrests have been made however, those that we have arrested are not the major players in this business, they are just carriers of the stolen oil.”

He said the discovery was part of the Army’s efforts to ensure that the government gets what is due to it.

“The budget has been sent by Mr President to the National Assembly and the National Assembly has passed it into law and the executive has also signed it and it has become law.

“That budget was planned based on some parameters. One of the parameters is the crude oil production we churn out every day. So any drop in crude oil production affects everybody in this country.

“Our people are not aware of that and that is why they are involved in this type of business,” he explained.

Related Topics:illegal refineries refineries Refinery

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JUST IN: Military Jet Crashes In Niger Community

Published

3 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has reportedly crashed near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

This was disclosed by a Niger State-based online digital television network, Lapai TV, in a post on its official Facebook page on Saturday evening.

“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the post stated

The incident was said to have occurred Saturday evening.

At the time of filing this report, the military has yet to make any official communication about the incident.

Details shortly…

Metro

Court Remands Four Foreigners Over Alleged Kidnapping, Hostage Taking In Ogun

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

An Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, has ordered the remand of four foreign nationals arrested for alleged kidnapping, hostage taking and unlawful detention of several foreign victims.

This is even as the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a medical doctor for allegedly transporting medical supplies from Sokoto State to suspected kidnapping gangs in Kwara.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the suspect was intercepted at Jebba in Moro Local Council, following an intelligence tip-off which linked him to a drug-delivery network servicing the criminal groups.
The arrest is said to be part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply chains aiding armed gangs across the region.

According to the statement, the kidnappers have recently become more desperate in seeking medical attention, particularly for treating gunshot wounds sustained during gunfights with security operatives.

Chief Magistrate A. K. Araba ordered the remand of Augustine Nketia Boateng, 41; Johnson Apan Julus, 43; Dramane Lenganir, 26; and 37-year-old Simms Raphael, all citizens of Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso.

The suspects were arrested at their operational base in Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, by officers of the International Police (Interpol), Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, led by Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni.

The court ordered their remand at the Oba Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following a motion ex parte marked MA/83PJ/2025, filed and moved by Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer in the Force Legal/Prosecution Department.

Animashaun told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 367 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2017, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

He prayed the court for an order remanding the defendants for alleged kidnapping, abduction, hostage taking and unlawful detention, pending the issuance of legal advice by the Ogun State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), for a period of 60 days in the first instance.

He also sought an order directing their remand at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta.

The motion was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Inspector Oyebisi Oni of the Interpol Section, alongside a written address and documentary exhibits.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Araba ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Oba Centre of the NCoS pending the DPP’s legal advice. The case was adjourned to February 27, 2026.

According to the affidavit, Interpol received a request on November 7, 2025, from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, concerning a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking and obtaining money by false pretence.

The complaint was lodged by one Mr. Lengane Toyazoula against the defendants and others at large.

The request sought Interpol’s assistance in rescuing a 23-year-old Burkinabe woman, Lengane Audrey, allegedly held captive by the suspects. Based on intelligence from the NCB, a team of detectives from Interpol FCID Annex, Ikoyi, was deployed to Abeokuta, where the suspects were traced to Harmony Estate. Sixteen victims comprising Burkinabe nationals, 12 Ghanaians, one Togolese and one Ivorian were rescued.

During interrogation, the defendants allegedly admitted collecting 1,869,000 CFA (equivalent to N4,790,036.77) as ransom. Further investigation reportedly revealed that they lured victims from other countries into Nigeria under the guise of securing Canadian visas, collected money from them and detained them against their will.

The affidavit stated that the suspects, operating from Harmony Estate, unlawfully imprisoned the victims and extorted money from their families. A proposed charge sheet was attached as an exhibit.

The police officer further noted that the duplicate case file had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on December 2, 2025, and that a remand order was needed to detain the suspects for 60 days pending legal advice.

The affidavit also stated that 12 rescued victims had been handed over to the Consular General of the Ghana High Commission on December 3, 2025.It added that granting the remand application would serve the interest of justice.
(GUARDIAN)

Metro

Construction Worker arrested For Stabbing Supervisor Over N10,000

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A 35-year-old workman known as Joshua has been arrested and detained at the Boundary Police Division in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, for allegedly stabbing his site supervisor, Sopiriala Sokari, into a coma over a N10,000 debt.

According to eyewitnesses and the victim, Joshua had been hired by Sokari to transfer blocks to a construction site for N20,000.

However, when Sokari offered to pay him N10,000 upfront, Joshua refused and demanded full payment.

The incident occurred along Obiri Ikwerre Road, where Joshua allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Sokari after a heated argument.

In a telephone conversation with journalists shortly after regaining consciousness at th:e hospital, Sokari narrated: “There is a boy called Joshua. He did a job for me, to transfer blocks to where they are working.

“The total job he did was 20,000 naira. So when he did the job, as I saw him, I asked him to take N10,000 first, let me confirm the job, then I will give him the balance.

“He refused, insisting that I must give him the whole money. He later met me where I was eating along Obiri Ikwerre Road, saying that I should give him the money now. I still insisted that I would give him only N10,000 till I confirmed the work.

“The next thing, he went and broke a bottle. The woman who was selling even had to bring out 20,000 naira after seeing his mood and gave it to him. After taking the money from the woman, he still used the bottle and stabbed me.

“Now I am lying down at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, where I was admitted. I am calling on Nigerians to help me. I have spent a lot of money. I need justice.”

The victim is currently receiving treatment at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, and has sustained severe injuries.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Joshua and is conducting an in-depth investigation into the matter.