The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has arrested five fleeing oil thieves, sighted on a speedboat in Rivers State, the nation’s Niger Delta region. The operation, according to the NAF, occurred after its crew had destroyed four boats moving southwards in the Wilcourt, riverine settlement area of the oil-producing region......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
“While heading back, the crew spotted a speed boat with five suspected oil thieves fleeing the area. Upon sighting the aircraft, the criminals increased speed, hoping to evade the aircraft,” NAF said on Sunday.
The air component said it went after the speedboat until they had arrived at the blocking zone of ground troops where they were arrested.
In the same view, in Wilcourt, a settlement within the creeks becoming notorious for illegal oil activities, the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe destroyed three Illegal Refining Sites (IRS).
The IRS had a total number of seven overhead tanks concealed under thick mangrove vegetation.
Also, the air component following a tip-off, of a cattle rustling syndicate in Niger State, had intercepted terrorists on nine motorcycles, which led them to the location of the rustled cattle.
The NAF said it gathered that terrorists were hibernating at Dandunu after rustling cattle from communities around the Kuchi-Kapana axis in Munya Local Government Area of the state..
“In several passes, the motorcycle-riding terrorists were struck by the aircraft, and most of them eliminated in the process.
“The feedback from locals around the location has so far been positive, with most of them being able to recover the rustled cattle and returning to their livelihoods,” NAF said.