Joint Security Task Force Dismantle Illegal Oil Refining Operation Near Onitsha
Security operatives from the Joint Task Force, comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, have dismantled an illicit oil refining operation at Transtell Group along GMO Road, Abor Industrial Layout, near Onitsha, Anambra State.
The raid, conducted on Sunday, followed intelligence gathering that revealed the company’s involvement in clandestine crude oil refining, despite its façade as a vegetable oil and palm kernel oil producer.
According to Assistant Commandant Chinweze Chinenye, spokesperson for the Joint Task Force, substantial quantities of refined petroleum products were seized and subsequently destroyed at a site near the Second Niger Bridge.
Chinenye emphasized that the workers fled upon seeing the security operatives, and no arrests have been made yet. Investigations are ongoing to identify the masterminds behind the operation.
The Joint Task Force asserts that Transtell Group’s activities constitute economic sabotage, which will not be tolerated.
Ralph Njoku, Chief Security Officer of Transtell Group, corroborated the security agency’s account, debunking rumors of military brutality and theft of company products.
Njoku stated that security personnel evacuated and destroyed suspected crude oil found on the premises, monitored by company security personnel, without molesting anyone or vandalizing facilities.
This operation underscores the military’s commitment to combating oil theft and economic sabotage.
In a similar operation, the Nigerian military destroyed 570 illegal refineries and arrested 681 suspects in the Niger Delta region between January and May 2025.
Rear Admiral John Okeke Madugu, Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, emphasized the importance of protecting Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure and curbing economic sabotage.
