Troops uncover massive facilities for storing illegally refined products in Rivers, Bayelsa

Troops from the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army have confiscated a large storage facility with 200,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in Bayelsa and Rivers states.

In Bayelsa, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, acting deputy director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, reported that the discovery was made at Dasaba Creek.

Danjuma explained that at the creek, one Illegal refining site, one oven, and a massive metal reservoir containing products suspected to be stolen crude oil estimated at over 110,000 litres were uncovered by the troops.

In Rivers State, the troops intercepted the siphoning of 33,000 liters of crude oil.

“The operation was painstakingly conducted by troops, who traced an interconnected hose to a tank far behind the fence in the bush.

“Several items were also recovered from the sites. These include two pumping machines, a long hose, and eleven drums used to perpetrate criminality in the general area”, he said.

Danjuma said troops of 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, while on routine patrols, successfully intercepted trucks ladened with products suspected to be stolen crude in Delta State.

He said: “The arrest was made at Seplat Energy Nigeria Ltd trunkline, Mosogar. During the operation, the truck was discovered to have over 30000 litres of stolen products. The truck has been handled in line with the subsisting mandate of OPDS in the NDR region”.

He said troops of 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army, intercepted a truck with Reg No Delta UDH 983 XR along the road of Elebele-Emeyal in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

He said: “The truck was also ladened with over 30000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude. Also, troops deployed at Cawthorne Channel 1, in conjunction with other security agencies successfully deactivated one illegal refining site with over 5500 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude. The site was located close to Well Head 8, behind Glisten Community in Degema LGA, Rivers State.

“The breakthroughs recorded are in addition to other seizures made within the general area. Four suspects have so far been arrested along Udoni Obiafu in Onne LGA.

“The suspects are, Freedom Effiong, Behaviour Power, Timothy Onyebuchi and Lovetg Ifeanyi. They will be handed over to relevant agencies for prosecution.

“These feats are results of the renewed effort by troops to effectively clamp down on economic saboteurs and their collaborators.

“Accordingly, members of the public are please enjoined to provide actionable intelligence on the activities of these economic saboteurs in their vicinity to security agencies.”