Navy eradicates illicit oil refining sites in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Ondo
The Nigerian Navy has incinerated four illicit oil refining sites across Rivers, Bayelsa, and Ondo States over the weekend. This crackdown on oil theft in the Niger Delta is part of Operation Delta Sanity, as disclosed by the Nigerian Navy on its social media platforms on Monday.
According to the Navy, its ship, Pathfinder, uncovered and neutralized a wooden boat carrying approximately 4,500 liters of illegally refined diesel along the Bakama axis in Rivers State on Sunday. On the same day, the Navy's Forward Operating Base Formoso located and eradicated an illegal refining site with a substantial oven containing about 40,000 liters of suspected stolen crude oil in the Brass River and Akansa general area in Bayelsa State.
Similarly, troops uncovered and ignited another illicit refining site containing equipment, drums, and pits with a storage capacity of approximately 30,000 liters of crude oil in Okrika, Rivers State, on Sunday.
Additionally, on March 2, Nigerian Navy Ship Soroh located, deactivated, and obliterated an illegal refining site equipped with tools, speedboats, and drums in Gbaram and Agbura communities in Bayelsa State.
In Ondo State, Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, discovered and deactivated another illegal refining site equipped with pits, ovens, and storage tanks containing around 30,000 liters of crude oil in Ilaje Local Government Area on Friday. The products were handled in accordance with existing directives.
The Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft reportedly apprehended the Ghana-owned motor tanker, Sweet Miri, on suspicion of crude oil theft. The vessel was seized 174 nautical miles off the Nigerian coast, approximately 320 kilometers, en route to Benin Republic.
The NNS Base Information Officer, Lieutenant H. Ibrahim, revealed in a statement that the motor vessel had a crew of 13 individuals, including one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians, at the time of the arrest.
Rear Admiral MB Hassan, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, stated in the release that the vessel was transporting about two million liters of the suspected product without approval and had deactivated its Automatic Identification System to evade detection.
Oil theft has been identified as a contributing factor to Nigeria's challenge in increasing its daily oil production.
Those responsible for the act seem to persist despite the government's efforts to curb it.
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