Troops of OPERATION DELTA SAFE have foiled the oil theft of N98,705,495 and arrested 13 suspects connected to the attempted theft.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, disclosed this on Thursday, during a bi-weekly press briefing with defence correspondents on the ongoing military operations across various theatres of operation.
He gave a breakdown of the figure indicating 92,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,575 litres of AGO, 660 litres of DPK and 5,000 litres of PMS. The troops also discovered and destroyed 11 crude oil cooking ovens, 7 dugout pits, 9 boats, 14 storage tanks and 7 illegal refining sites, even as they recovered assorted arms and ammunition.
Troops also conducted offensive operations in Ethiope East, Ughelli South, Ndokwa, Okpe and Warri LGAs of Delta state as well as in Ahoada East and Toru LGAs of Rivers state, during which they arrested 9 criminals and recovered weapons and ammunition as well as a vehicle.
Kangye also gave details of significant successes recorded by troops across other operations in their respective Areas of Responsibility (AoRs)
Troops of Joint Task Force (JTF) OPERATION HADIN KAI (OPHK) in the Northeast conducted both kinetic and non-kinetic operations in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, as a result of which, scores of the terrorists were killed in action, while 16 of their collaborators, informants, sympathizers and spies were arrested and 7 kidnapped victims were rescued.
Additionally, some quantities of arms and ammunition, vehicles, PMS and the sum of N5,140,000.00 were also recovered, while their camps were destroyed. Recovered weapons are in troops’ custody.
In the Northwest, troops of OPERATION FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) sustained operational tempo throughout the week in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger states, where several terrorists were killed in action, 14 of them arrested, while 6 kidnapped victims were rescued. Weapons, vehicles, livestocks and other household items were recovered from them. They also arrested one suspected gunrunner and 2 drug catels in Lere and Shinkafi LGAs of Kaduna and Zamfara States from whom they recovered 1,307 live ammunition, 6 mobile phones, vehicles, large quantities of canabis/ice, motorcycles and the sum of N227,000.00.
In the North Central, troops of OPERATION ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) responded to distress calls about terrorists’ activities in Riyom, Jos South, Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Jos East LGAs of Plateau State as well as Jemaá and Zangon Kataf LGAs of Kaduna State. During the encounter, they eliminated some of the terrorists During their encounter with the terrorists, and arrested 11 of them while recovering weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and vehicles.
In another development, 4 suspects were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Jos South LGA of Plateau State on 8 October 2025. The suspects were charged for conspiracy and theft, and upon their guilty plea, they were sentenced to one year imprisonment each.
In the Southeast, troops of OPERATION UDO KA conducted offensive operations and arrested a suspected IPOB/ESN terrorist commander identified as Gentle who was on troops wanted list alongside 8 other criminals in Owerri West and Mbaitoli LGAs of Imo State as well as Izzi and Ohaukwu LGAs of Ebonyi State. Recovered from that were weapons, ammunition and a vehicle.
Furthermore, a female, believed to be an IPOB/ESN collaborator, and one of their logistics suppliers, was arrested in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State on 13 October 2025. Upon her arrest, three children, found in her custody were revealed to be biological children of a wanted IPOB/ESN leader identified as Maduabuchi Nwankwo, otherwise known as Emergency, who it was further revealed, is a relative of the arrested woman.
Kangye commended the gallant officers and men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their unwavering dedication and courage in the face of evolving security challenges, and stated that the recent operational successes-whether in counter-terrorism, anti-banditry, maritime security, or joint internal operations-are not just victories on the battlefield, but clear demonstrations of the AFN’s resolve to secure every inch of the nation.
He eulogised the troops for their sacrifices, particularly those who have paid the ultimate price and those who continue to serve with honour and distinction, stating that “their bravery inspires us to press forward until peace and stability are fully restored across all regions”.
Kangye assured that the Armed Forces remain committed, resilient, and ever-ready to uphold our constitutional mandate.
“Together, with the cooperation of all stakeholders and the support of the public, we will continue to advance towards a safer and more secure Nigeria”, he said.
