Nigerian Army Arrests 15 Suspected Oil Thieves Near Dangote Refinery

Nigerian Army troops arrested 15 suspected oil thieves early Friday morning while they attempted to siphon crude oil from a vessel supplying the Dangote Refinery in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

The operation, conducted by personnel from Headquarters 9 Brigade in collaboration with 65 Battalion, followed credible intelligence on suspicious activities near the refinery corridor. Security sources indicated that the suspects were intercepted around 1:30 a.m. as they connected improvised pipes and hoses to the discharge point of an offshore vessel unloading crude for processing into premium motor spirit and automotive gas oil. The group employed floating hoses, pumping machines, and a concealed system to transfer the petroleum products from the vessel to a waiting tanker truck onshore, though rough tidal conditions prevented access to a suspected offshore barge linked to the network.

Troops halted the siphoning activity at the scene, recovering key items used in the illegal operation. These included a Mack tanker truck, a Lexus RX 350 sport utility vehicle, a Ford Ranger pickup truck, a pumping machine, a 40-horsepower Yamaha speedboat engine, and multiple industrial hose...