By Precious Igbonwelundu
Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA have destroyed three illegal refining sites with 42 ovens, 55 receivers and 60 surface metal storage tanks at Bennett Island, Delta State.
Naval operatives in Delta and Rivers States also uncovered illegal refineries where vandals had thousands of illegal refined AGO, DPK as well as stolen crude oil socked, the Defence Media Operations Centre (DMOC) said.
According to the centre’s Coordinator Maj.Gen. John Enenche, the sites were discovered during anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT) and illegal bunkering operations carried out by the navy in collaboration with Ocean Marine Service (OMS).
He said the operations commenced following recent discoveries that some illegal refineries earlier destroyed were being reactivated.
Enenche said the NN deployed two swamp buggies to Bennett Island from April 7, adding that the team deactivated 24 ovens, 35 receivers and 25 surface metal storage tanks and covered one dug out pit that day.
“Additionally, on April 8, the team located another illegal refining site at Bennett Island. During the operation, 14 ovens, 20 receivers and 21 surface metal storage tanks were dismantled. Similarly, on April 10, the combined team of NNS DELTA and OMS surveillance crew commenced the swamp buggy operation at Bennett Island in Warri South LGA of Delta State.
“The team located an illegal refining site and deactivated four ovens, 14 surface metal storage tanks and five coolers. Furthermore, the team discovered an illegal valve connection along the Trans-Forcados pipeline suspected to have been connected by pipeline vandals. The valve and associated fittings were disconnected and recovered to the OMS Houseboat at Yeye.”
In Rivers State, Enenche said operatives of NNS PATHFINDER on April 8, located an illegal refining site in Alakiri around Okirika general area. “The site had approximately 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. The site and products were impounded while no arrest was made as the operators of the illegal refining site fled on sighting the patrol team.
“On April 7, Forward Operating Base (FOB) ESCRAVOS team intercepted two wooden boats without engines controlled by one fibre boat powered by a 40HP engine along Banga Village Creek, Opuedebubor, Warri South West LGA, Delta State. The wooden boats were laden with about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO, packaged in polyethylene bags. “Consequently, the boats were towed to a safe place and impounded. Same day, the team visited a reactivated Illegal Refining Site (IRS) along Opuedebubor Creek behind Banga Village in Warri South West LGA Delta State. The site had 14 refining units, 24 metal storage tanks, 15 metal drums and 12 dugout pits.
“Cumulatively, the IRS had about 400,000 litres of AGO, 2,201 barrels of crude oil and 25,000 litres of DPK respectively. The site was deactivated while the 40HP outboard engine recovered along Banga Village Creek was taken to the base.
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“In another COT operation on April 9, a patrol team revisited a previously deactivated IRS along Oviloye Creek, Warri South West LGA and observed that it had been reactivated. The site had two refining units and four metal storage tanks, approximately 5,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 31.4 barrels of stolen crude oil.
“Also, during the operations, the team intercepted two fibre boats laden with about 4,000 litres of illegally refined DPK with 40HP and 60 HP outboard engines. The site and petroleum products were impounded and the 40HP and 60HP outboard engines were recovered to the Base.
“Cumulatively, the Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS patrol teams denied oil thieves dealing of about 408,000 litres of illegally refined AGO, 2,232.4 barrels of stolen crude oil and 29,000 litres of DPK.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria hereby continues to solicit for timely and credible information for the enhancement of its operations,” he said.
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