The Defence Headquarters said that troops have denied oil thieves the estimated sum of N793,257,250 within one week.

A statement by Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said that troops also arrested 18 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 96 kidnapped hostages.

According to the statement, during the week under review, troops neutralised 118, arrested 97 persons, and eliminated more terrorist commanders and combatants on the battlefield through ongoing operations across the country.

He added that troops recovered 87 assorted weapons and 2,244 assorted ammunition, adding that the breakdown showed one PKT gun, one PKM one RPG, one auto pistol, 43 AK47 rifles, 14 fabricated rifles, 14 Dane guns, 5 pump action guns, 6 A-47 magazines and 3 Boafeng radios.

Others are 1,715 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 505 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 8 rounds of 9mm ammo, 14 live cartridges, 89 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo, 10 vehicles, 33 motorcycles, 50 mobile phones and the sum of N778,560, amongst other items.

Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 4 dugout pits, 48 boats, 3 speedboats, 156 drums and 34 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 28 cooking ovens, 8 vehicles, one motorcycle, one tricycle and 44 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 602, 200 litres of stolen crude oil, 64,900 litres of illegally refined AGO and 12,690 litres of PMS.