Juliana Francis
Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE said it has destroyed several illegal oil refinery sites in Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states.
This revelation comes amidst recurring fuel scarcity biting in some parts of the country, with pump prices sneakily jacked up.
It will be recalled that there had been several arguments from different parts of the country, that rather than illegal refineries to be destroyed, they should be legalised and structured to begin serving Nigeria.
Major General, Bernard Onyeuko, Director, Defence Media Operations, while speaking on the destruction said that the troops sustained an offensive posture to deny criminal’s the much-needed space for their illegal operation in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states.
He said: “In the process, several illegal oil refining sites were discovered and destroyed. These include 37, 68 dugout pits, 188 storage tanks, 33 wooden boats, 16 pumping machines, one generator, one vehicle, 175 cooking ovens, and 23 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. Also, recovered were N3,750,000 ltrs of crude oil and 2,019,000 ltrs of Automotive Gas Oil and the arrest of 10 suspected pipeline vandals. Additionally, troops arrested two high-profile sea pirates known as Fagha Golden (aka) fine boy at Nonwa village in Tai Local Government Area and Victor Elkanah (aka) Victor Padi at Pharzy Spring Diagnostic and Wellness Hospital, One-Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. The suspects are notorious for the series of armed attacks on oil vessels, kidnapping of expatriates and illegal oil bunkering within the state. The large quantity of crude and Automotive Gas Oil through a great to the economy and the number of arrested crude oil thieves shows the unrelenting efforts by the troops of Operation DELTA SAFE.”
