The Nigerian Navy has arrested two individuals alleged to have turned their private residence into an illegal refinery in the Okwuzi Community of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni of Rivers state.
The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder stationed in Port Harcourt, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said on Wednesday it discovered and sealed a private residence during a ‘search and seize’ operation where 200,000 liters of illegally refined diesel or Automated Gas Oil was uncovered and confiscated.
Commodore Desmond Igbo disclosed the above to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday after leading a military team to the crime scene.
The navy said three suspects, including the owner of the property, were arrested during the search and seize operation.
Commodore Igbo says the initial raw material was siphoned from pipelines and bagged in sacks and tanks within the compound.
“The search and seizure was conducted based on credible intelligence, leading us to a private compound used solely for illegal refining of petroleum products.
“About 200,000 liters of illegally refined diesel, bagged in sacks, are suspected to be a product from crude oil siphoned from neighboring pipelines,” he said.
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Igbo further described the recent operation as timely, adding that the product was already packaged for sale.
“We arrested the owner of the property and one of his workers, while efforts are ongoing to arrest others involved in the criminal act.
“Recall that a few weeks ago, the Nigerian Navy relaunched phase three of Operation Delta Sanity aimed at curbing crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and related illicit activities in the Niger Delta.
“The siphoning of crude oil is bad for the economy, and so, NNS Pathfinder is determined to apprehend those undermining the nation’s economy, whether on land or water,” Igbo said.
He added that the suspects would be transferred to the appropriate prosecuting authorities.
He mentioned that the unauthorized bunkering location has been sealed off as the investigation is underway.
He pointed out that the navy had been tasked with supplementing the nation’s crude oil production to fulfill the OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day for the current year.
Igbo disclosed that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has directed the naval forces to intensify surveillance around the oil installations to achieve the objective as such the NNS Pathfinder is determined to apprehend defaulters wherever they are.
