Nigerian troops raid illegal 'refineries'

AFP

9 July 2011

Nigerian troops raid illegal 'refineries'

LAGOS — Nigerian special military forces in Niger Delta on Saturday arrested four suspects after troops raided sites where stolen oil was illegally being "refined", a spokeman for the forces said.

Troops of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), supported by MI-35 helicopter, stormed the large field where the sites were located in Odiekhe community in southern Rivers State, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Antigha said.

JTF arrested the suspects and seized three large wooden boats filled with stolen crude during the raid, Antigha said.

More than 1,000 of the sites were destroyed during the operation which lasted for more than six hours, he said.