…. Arrest Trucks Ladened with Stolen Crude in Delta
By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
The Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt has announced that its troops uncovered massive dumps, where illegally refined products, totaling over 200, 000 litres, were stored across various locations in Bayelsa and Rivers states.
Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, in a statement released in Port Harcourt Thursday, said in Bayelsa State, the discovery was made at Dasaba Creek, where an illegal refining site, an oven and a massive metal reservoir containing products suspected to be stolen crude oil estimated at over 110,000 litres was uncovered.
Also in Rivers State, troops swooped on over 33000 litres of illegally refined product was being siphoned into a tank.
According to the statement the operation which was painstakingly conducted by troops, who traced an interconnected hose to a tank from Indorama (Eleme Petrochemicals) pipeline, far behind the fence in the bush.
“Several items where also recovered from the sites. These include two pumping machines, long hose and eleven drums used to perpetrate criminality in the general area”, Lt. Col Danjuma added.
The statement went on; “Relatedly, troops of 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, while on routine patrols, successfully intercepted trucks ladened with products suspected to be stolen crude in Delta State.
“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 trucks have been handled in line with the subsisting mandate of OPDS in the NDR region.
“Similarly, troops of 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army, intercepted a truck with Reg No Delta UDH 983 XR along road Elebele-Emeyal in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
“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”.
Lt. Col Danjuma explained that the breakthroughs recorded were in addition to other seizures made within the general area.
He said; “Four suspects have so far been arrested along Udoni Obiafu in Onne, Eleme LGA. The suspects are, Freedom Effiong, Behaviour Power, Timothy Onyebuchi and Love Ifeanyi. They will be handed over to relevant agencies for prosecution.
“These feats are results of the renewed effort by troops to effectively clampdown 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”.
