Soldiers of the   Nigerian  army   3  battalion  numbering over twenty and armed  with assault rifles, as early as  7.30am  this morning  stormed  the  Maciver  market in Warri South local government area of Delta state where over a thousand drums of illegally refined substance suspected  to  be crude oil was  destroyed.

The soldiers who were also armed with cutlasses with which they used in breaking shops that were locked,   could   not  arrest  any suspect  as  most of the shop owners ran to a distance  where they helplessly watch their shops  forced  open with  drums  of oil destroyed.

Meanwhile, the operation  which  lasted  for over  three  hours led the soldiers to the river bank where hundreds of hidden drums containing illegally refined products where discovered.

After the operation, illegally refined substance suspected to be crude oil which was estimated at N20 Million Naira   black market   value littered the floor, while the soldiers move around the market in search  for  culprits who escaped on sighting the soldiers.

Efforts to make the commanding officer   3  battalion   Lt. Col. Bassey  Emem  speak on the operation  on  camera  proved  abortive, as he said he  was  not authorized  to speak, but that the operation is in line with the Chief of Army staff  General  Kenneth  Minimah’s directives to chase oil thieves to the streets.