Edward Gabkwet, spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said in a statement that as part of the “Delta Safe” operation, the army carried out an airstrike on illegal oil extraction areas in the state of Rivers.
Gabkwet noted that 3 ships carrying stolen crude oil were destroyed in the operation.
Gabkwet stated that the army also identified tanks and warehouses full of petroleum products at the illegal refinery in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state, and destroyed the facility.
Hundreds of illegal oil refineries operate in Nigeria.
The country’s identified oil reserves are approximately 37 billion barrels, accounting for 3.1 percent of the world’s reserves.
Nigeria, which is among the top 15 countries in the world in crude oil production, is the 8th country with the highest oil reserves and 6th in terms of oil exports.
In the Delta region, where the oil fields are located, there are events such as sabotage by armed groups in the oil fields, conflicts and kidnappings.