Troops destroy 13 illegal oil bunkering sites in N’Delta

Major-General Eric Emekah, last week assumed office as the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6- Division, Nigerian Army taking over from Major-General Jamal Abdussalam.

This is as troops of the Division successfully dismantled 13 illegal bunkering hubs, demobilized fours boats and arrested of 15 oil thieves, among other feats in its ongoing omalicha against oil thieves in the Niger Delta.

In his maiden address to officers and soldiers, Emekah pledged to surpass the daily crude oil production target set by the Federal Government in the oil sector.

Major-General Emekah is also expected to double as the land components commander, joint task force South-South operations, Delta safe.

The Army chief assumed command following military formalities and courtesies at the 6 division headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He thanked the Chief of Army Staff for his appointment, expressing optimism  that the division will surpass the Federal Government target of 2.3 million barrels per day in crude oil production.

He charged troops to work hard to surpass the achievements of the division and Federal Government target of 2.3 million barrel per day, promising to lead by example.

A press statement by the acting Deputy Director 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma, on the operations of troops and sister Services from 20 to 26 January, has it that the troops also dismantled over 150 locally made ovens  and the recovered over 300,000 litres of stolen products.

“While on routine, anti-illegal bunkering operations, troops swooped on a vandalised point, with a large pool stocked with 252,000 litres of stolen crude oil at Ugo community in Orhiomwon Local Government Area of Edo State. The products were suspected to have been stolen from a vandalised point.

“Further exploitation in the area led to the recovery of pumping machine, hose and pipes. At Asade community in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, troops intercepted a red 30,000 litres capacity DAF tanker truck without a Number Plate, siphoning crude from PAN Ocean Nigeria Limited Pipeline, located in the bush in Ovade general area. It was discovered that over 15,000 litres of stolen crude was already siphoned before the truck was intercepted.

“In Rivers State, particularly on the Imo River corridor, the operations led to the confiscation of over 10,000 litres of stolen products. These products were recovered around Lekuma, Abiama and Oyigbo.

“Also, an illegal refining site was discovered on Odagwa along the Imo River waterways. On arrival at a camp at Owaza general area, it was noted to be fully active. The criminals deserted the area on sighting troops. In a follow-up operations conducted, one pump action gun was recovered,” the statement read.

The troops were also at at Obiafu oil field in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA), where they dismantled three illegal refining sites in a cluster, with ten cooking drums, two rolls of hose and eight reservoirs.

Lt. Col. Danjuma stated: “This feat was replicated around Abalama community in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, where troops discovered some carefully concealed jerricans filled with illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) estimated to be over 1,500 litres.

“At Abacheke area also in ONELGA, troops stormed a bunkering camp, where they discovered four illegal refining sites, 145 locally made oven drums and seven wheelbarrows with 95 sacks filled with 5,700 litres of stolen AGO.

“There was also the discovery of a locally made reservoir stocked with over 3,500 litres of stolen products. Eight suspected oil thieves had been arrested in connection to the mindless act of economic sabotage.

“Similarly, at Okoromadi in Abua Odual Local Government Area, troops closed up on an illegal refining site, where four big and small boilers with receivers were discovered. Troops are currently combing the general area for possible arrest of economic saboteurs.

“In Akwa Ibom State, troops raided an illegally refined AGO storage facility at Ikot Abia in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. Further exploitation led to the recovery of over 30 polythene bags filled with unspecified quantity of stolen AGO and several empty jerricans. While in Bayelsa State, at Isonogbene general area in Brass Local Government Area, two illegal refining sites were taken out with over 5,000 litres of stolen crude recovered.

“While appreciating troops for their efforts in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, Major-General Emekah reassured that the days of criminal elements masquerading as economic saboteurs and associated crimes are numbered.”

He advised them to turn a new leaf and embrace legitimate means of livelihood or be ready to face renewed onslaught.

READ ALSO: Troops arrest 24 oil thieves in Niger Delta