Determined to put an end to oil theft and
pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta region and the entire
country, the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps, has set ablaze several illegal refineries in Rivers
State.
The NSCDC had during its operations in
Bonny and Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state discovered about
10 illegal refineries and products worth N50m.
The Assistant Commandant General of
NSCDC, Zone E, Mohammad Hassan Lapai, who led an operation into the
creeks in the state on Tuesday for about seven hours, ordered the
destruction of four different dump sites used for illegal refining.
Some
of the illegal oil refining sites set ablaze are Brekete Fishing Port
in Bonny Local Government Area where about 14 tanks loaded with 10,000
litres of refined products each were burnt and Okpoma Kiri in Asari-Toru
Local Government Area.
Three tanks fully loaded with petroleum
products were also destroyed by operatives of the NSCDC within the same
local government area.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the
operation, Lapai vowed that such visits to the creeks would be made a
routine until the activities of oil thieves were brought under control.
Explaining that it was the duty of the
security outfit to curb the activities of oil thieves, the assistant
commandant general of the NSCDC described the operation into the creeks
as a huge success.
Lapai pointed out that the responsibility
of the security outfit had gone beyond pipeline surveillance, adding
that the search for bunkerers was part of the tasks they must
accomplish.
He maintained that the NSCDC would never
compromise its status and standard with those involved in oil bunkering
and would continue to fight oil bunkering until the menace was
eliminated from the Niger Delta and Nigeria in general.
“This year alone, we have destroyed over
48 illegal bunkering refineries. We are very grateful to the local
communities and our sister agencies for their cooperation in this fight.
“There has been a serious synergy and
this has helped us to destroy about 10 illegal refineries in Rivers
State this week alone. With the help of the new government at the
federal level, the challenges we are facing in this fight will be faced
squarely. This fight is going to be consistent.
“This force does not compromise. So, we
promise that we will surely stamp out oil bunkering from the creeks. We
are out to tackle it head-on. We have the courage and will ensure that
oil thieves, pipeline vandals and illegal refineries are completely
wiped out,” Lapai stressed.
He, however, urged those involved in oil
bunkering and pipeline vandalisation to look for a legal way for
survival, warning that it will not be business as usual again.
According to him, “We have destroyed
about 17 tanks fully loaded in the sites we visited today. Each of the
tanks contains 10,000 litres of the products worth N50m.
“I have already directed the commander in
Rivers State, Ms Helen Amachree that this is going to be a routine
affair now. We will be going from one creek to another to make sure that
we exterminate the criminal elements.”
Also, the Commander of NSCDC Rivers State
Command, Amachree, recalled that the command had impounded over 300
vehicles including tankers for illegal oil bunkering.
Amachree said that some of the cases on the trucks impounded and some persons that were arrested were already in court.
According to her, “We have seized not less than 300 vehicles that were loaded with illegal oil products by oil thieves.
“Some of them were loaded with some
refined products while others were loaded with crude oil when our men
caught them and our lawyers have charged some of the persons arrested in
connection to that to court.”
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