The Navy yesterday destroyed suspected illegal refineries and stolen crude oil products in Niger Delta. Its operatives attached to the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Bonny were said to have raided Bolo and adjoining creeks, where they destroyed 12 illegal refinery sites and six Cotonou boats conveying suspected stolen crude oil.
It was gathered that they also destroyed 20 tanks laden with suspected illegally refined AGO (diesel), three barges conveying suspected stolen crude oil, six crude oil laden tanks, a speedboat filled with AGO and uncovered 10 wells used for storing crude oil.
Also, operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder during a patrol around Wakama village in Onne destroyed a wooden boat laden with suspected illegally refined AGO.
The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, said FOB Escravos raided an illegal refinery site at Tipo village in Warri, Delta State.
He said: “During the raid, illegal refinery site and two large Cotonou boats laden with unspecified quantity of suspected stolen crude oil as well as 100 Jerry cans of illegally refined AGO were destroyed.
“The Navy reiterates its strong resolve to continue the current clampdown, in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff’s zero tolerance for crude oil theft and other related crimes in the maritime domain.”
