Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested 15 suspected oil thieves in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State during a coordinated operation.
According to an operational report released on Friday in Abuja, the suspects were apprehended in the early hours of the day by troops of Headquarters 9 Brigade in collaboration with 65 Battalion, following credible intelligence.
The report disclosed that the suspects were intercepted while attempting to illegally tap crude oil from a discharge point linked to a vessel supplying the Dangote Refinery.
The vessel was reportedly offloading crude oil for the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) when the suspects were caught trying to connect pipes to the discharge outlet.
Items recovered during the operation include a Mack tanker truck, a Lexus RX 350 sport utility vehicle, a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, a pumping machine, a 40-horsepower Yamaha speedboat engine, and several hoses used for siphoning.
The suspects, along with the recovered items, are currently in the custody of the 65 Battalion, while investigations continue.
The Army said the operation highlights its sustained efforts to safeguard critical national infrastructure and combat crude oil theft across the country.
