Navy Arrests, Hands Over 11 Suspects With Materials For Construction Of Illegal Refineries To NSCDC

At least 11 suspected criminals were arrested when the Nigerian Navy (NN) intercepted their wooden boat laden with equipment used for the construction of illegal refineries.

The arrest occurred on January 23, after operatives of the Port Harcourt Base Tactical Response and Assault Squadron, Pathfinder in River State carried out a routine patrol around Krakrama Creeks in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state.

Upon arrest, the operatives recovered 10 metal plates, 14 angle iron as well as 20 gas cylinders, carefully concealed in the wooden boat suspected to be for the illegal construction.

The Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, while briefing the press on Monday disclosed that the suspects were conveying the items to the Bille general area (Degema Local Government) for the construction of an illegal refining site.

Commodore Igbo was represented by the NNS Base Operations Officer, Commander Sa’id Kabir.

Kabir said the development was in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategic mandate on zero tolerance for crude oil and other petroleum products theft.

He said, “The Base has been resolute in conducting operations to deny the oil thieves freedom of action in its Area of Operations.

“The arrested suspects claimed they were contracted by one Mr John. At the moment, the Base is making concerted efforts to arrest Mr John and other suspects involved in this criminal act.”

Kabir further warned other intending criminals to desist from oil theft as “the Base will not be deterred by blackmail or antics of enemies of the nation against the Nigerian Navy in the discharge of its constitutional duties”.

The suspects and the seized items were thereafter handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, represented by the Deputy Superintendent from the Intelligence and Investigation Department, NSCDC, Monday Lawal.

Lawal revealed that all the suspects would be subjected to further investigation, and if found guilty would further be prosecuted.

This development comes barely a week after Operation Delta Santy of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder dismantled illegal refining sites in Cawthorne Channel 1, Sodienyekiri and Birakiri areas of Rivers State on January 24.

The site in Channel 1 had a hose rigged to a wellhead to syphon crude oil into a reservoir, and a total of nine constructed ovens, nine storage tanks and several reservoirs were destroyed during the operation.

In Birakiri General Area in Okrika, the Forward Operating Base Bonny in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder Swamp Buggy team destroyed nine constructed cooking pots, four storage tanks and reservoirs.

On January 27, the Forward Operating Base Igbokoda deactivated an illegal refining site with a cooking pot of about 33,000 litres and a storage tank of about 25,000 litres in the Araromi Seaside of Ilaje, Ondo State.

To ensure that legitimate business in the maritime domain thrives seamlessly, the Nigerian Navy launched Operation Delta Santy to provide a holistic and robust roadmap towards fighting crude oil theft.