The Defence Headquarters says troops of the armed forces have, in the last three weeks, discovered and destroyed 30 illegal refining sites and 125 storage tanks in various operations in the South-South.

Brig-Gen. Abdullahi Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the director of Defence Media Operations, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly media briefing on the armed forces operations.

Mr Ibrahim said 227 ovens, 11 dugout pits and 21 wooden boats were also destroyed by troops of Operation DELTA SAFE while conducting Operation OCTOPUS GRIP.

He said troops also recovered 1,675,700 litres of crude oil, 74,500 litres of diesel, 10 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, eight weapons and 330 assorted ammunitions during the operation.

Also, 42 economic saboteurs were arrested by the troops and handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.

He said the air component of the operation conducted air interdiction missions during which they observed active illegal refining sites, equipment, reservoirs and wooden boats loaded with illegally refined products.

Mr Ibrahim added that the troops of Operation UDO KA had sustained the fight against the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals and other social vices in the South-East.

He said the troops neutralised four Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals, arrested 37 suspected criminals and rescued 15 kidnapped civilians during various operations in the zone.

Mr Ibrahim said four AK-47 rifles, two AK-47 magazines, five pump action rifles, two locally made pistols, one Dane gun, eight launcher tubes, 13 live cartridges and locally made hand grenades were recovered within the weeks under review.

He said other items recovered were one bag of explosives, IED wires, one bow and arrow, two trucks loaded with vandalised railways sleepers, four vehicles, six motorcycles, 32 mobile phones, one tricycle and N15,000.

According to him, all recovered items, apprehended suspects, and rescued kidnapped civilians have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action. 

(NAN)