The Nigerian Navy has intercepted about 1.1 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) believed to have been stolen from pipelines belonging to multinational oil companies in Rivers.
No
fewer than 13 suspects, all male of Nigerian nationality, were arrested
on account of their alleged role in the illegal shipment of the
petroleum product to undisclosed locations in the state.
Capt. Victor Choji,
the Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder (NNS), Port
Harcourt, handed over the 13 suspects to operatives of the Economic and
Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday.
He
said that one vessel; one tug boat; one barge and five large wooden
boats were seized at two different locations during the operation.
“In
line with strategic directives to rid Rivers of oil theft and illegal
bunkering; troops of NNS Pathfinder under Operation Delta Safe made some
arrests and seizures at different locations.
“On
May 6, troops intercepted and seized a vessel, MT Preye I and five very
large wooden boats with about 409,399 litres of suspected refined
diesel at Eagle Island.
“Eleven
crew members aboard the MT Preye I were subsequently arrested and they
have been in our custody undergoing investigation,’’ he said.
Choji
also said that 11 suspects were caught in the act of loading the
petroleum product from five wooden boats in the late hours of the night.
“Similarly,
on June 19, troops also impounded a tug boat, PK II, and a barge, Naomi
03, laden with about 700,000 litres of petroleum product suspected to
be illegally refined diesel.
“No fewer than two suspects were arrested over their involvement in the illegal shipment of the petroleum product,’’ he said.
Choji
said that the seizures and arrests were part of intensified-mop up
operation ordered by naval authorities to stamp out oil theft and
illegal refineries from the Niger Delta.
He
said that a large number of naval forces had been deployed in line with
a harmonised standard operating procedure aimed to enforce law and
order in the maritime environment.
“The
Nigerian Navy will not rest in its bid to frustrate all forms of
illegalities in waterways in Rivers and Niger Delta at large,’’ he assured.
The
officer said that the navy had obtained useful information from the 13
detainees to the source of the products, adding that EFCC had taken over
the matter for further action.
A senior operative of EFCC, Mr Micheal Adukwu,
who took delivery of the suspects, vessel, barge and boats, commended
the Nigerian Navy for the current synergy between the two security
outfits.
He assured that the matter would
be pursued to its logical conclusion with the suspects prosecuted if a
prima facie was established on them.
The
EFCC operative pointed out that contrary to public belief, several oil
thieves and vandals handed over by the navy had prosecuted with many
facing several jail terms.
The News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the current effort to clamp down on
illegal refineries was not unconnected with the Federal Government’s
move to establish modular refineries in the Niger Delta.
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