Six illegal oil refining facilities in Opu Arugbana, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, have been destroyed by airstrikes carried out as part of Operation Delta Safe’s air component.
The Air Force claims that the mission took place on December 23, 2023,
“The illegal sites were sighted clustered within a radius of about 80 metres at a location about 6 nautical miles south of Opu Arugbana.”
“Having been confirmed to be active, authorization was obtained to destroy the 6 sites, thus discouraging the criminals from continuing with their acts of illegality,” a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air CommodoreEdward Gabkwet read.
“Despite the festive season, air operations against criminals in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country continue unabated. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who spent Christmas day with troops in the Northeast and is currently in Katsina to fete troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, has commended the efforts of the Air Component Commanders in all the theatres of operation while calling on them not to rest until criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.”
Three operational Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) and two Cotonou Boats that were stealing crude oil from pipelines in Rivers State’s Alakri and Cawthorne Channel were also demolished in November.
Simultaneous operations were conducted in the Krakama region of the state, wherein three Cotonou boats suspected of transporting illicit refined products were burned on the same day.
