The Nigerian Navy yesterday said that it has is covered and set ablaze an illegal refinery with 145,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, Commodore Shuwa Mohammed, disclosed in Port Harcourt after an aerial and land surveillance of areas where crude oil were illegally refined in the state.
He said, the destruction of the illegal refinery was part of its recent campaign to mop up newly discovered illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region.
According to Commander, over 50,000 litres of illegally refined diesel stored in 10 cooking tanks and a badge with the capacity to store thousands of petroleum products were also destroyed by the Navy.
“In the course of our operation yesterday(Sunday), an illegal refinery with 15 storage metallic tanks loaded with 145,000 litres of stolen crude oil was set ablaze in Buguma, Asari Toru local Government Area of Rivers State,” he said.
Mohammed, who was represented by the Pathfinder’s Base Operation Officer, Commander Chidi Ejiofor, explained that operators of the illegal refineries took to their heels on sighting security operatives.
He, however, disclosed that four suspects, who attempted to bribe the (Navy) with the sum of N600,000, were arrested, adding that they (suspects) will be handed over to the relevant authority for further investigation and prosecution.
“Ironically, while setting the refinery ablaze, four out of the fleeing oil thieves came back and offered us a bribe of N600,000 to spare the refinery. The four suspects were subsequently arrested and would be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for investigation and prosecution.
“There are about 33,000 creeks in the Niger Delta of which the NNS Pathfinder is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring more than 1,000 of the creeks and waterways. It is difficult to maintain a 24-hour presence in all of these creeks and oil facilities especially, having in mind, the shallowness of some of the creeks.
“So, sensitisation and government partnership with communities will greatly help put a stop to attacks on oil and gas installations, which not only affect everyone, but degrade the environment,” Mohammed said.
The Commander stressed that the mopping up of newly discovered illegal refineries within the state would continue in spite of some challenges facing the security outfit.
He emphasised that the mop-up was aimed at ending the damage done to the environment due to the activities of oil thieves, Mohammed said, “The mop-up ordered by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, is part of a series of operations lined up to end incessant crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the state.
“During our aerial surveillance recently, several new illegal refineries were sighted with their positions in Latitude and Longitude obtained, prompting troops mobilisation.”
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