The Nigerian Army, 6 Division Garrison in Port Harcourt has busted an illegal crude oil refining site in a forest in Odagwe community, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
This is coming barely three days after the Nigerian Navy said its operatives busted an illegal oil refining site filled with 750,000 litres of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil also known as diesel in Abonema Wharf in the Port Harcourt area of the state.
The army during an operation against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering led by the Commander, 6 Division Garrison and Sector 3, Operation Delta Safe, Brigadier General Eddie Effiong recovered one million litres of crude oil.
Also uncovered in the community forest were eight crude oil reservoirs and five boilers both containing over one million litres of stolen crude.
Effiong, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the operation on Friday, said the discovery followed a tip-off, pointing out that each of the reservoirs contained about 100,000 litres of crude.
Brigadier General Effiong said the perpetrators were trying to refine the crude into Automated Gas Oil popularly known as diesel before operatives stormed the site.
He stated, “In continuation of the fight against crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering, we got a tip-off from our contacts that illegal oil refinery has commenced on the opposite side of this road after we destroyed them on the other side.
“The oil thieves have relocated here and then reestablished their illegal refineries and continue their illegal activities.
“Coming here today, we found out that they have truly relocated to the right side and reestablished their illegal refining sites and they are still trying to establish more sites.
“In this reestablished illegal refining site, we have discovered eight reservoirs and five cooking pots. And from our gathering, the minimum quantity of crude in each reservoir is nothing less than 100,000 litres of stolen crude that is about to be refined into AGO.”
The Garrison Commander assured that the division would not rest on its laurels until the fight against illegal oil bunkering and oil theft in the Niger Delta region is won.
He noted that the division would also deploy the non-kinetic approach such as dialogue in tackling illicit activities by appealing to the consciences of community heads and youth leaders through regular seminars, amongst others.
Brigadier General Effiong added, “We are also trying our best to discourage them through their village heads and youth leaders, talking to them.
“We all know what crude oil is to the Nigerian economy. Everyone in the country is feeling the impact of the economy presently, and the more they do this, it is also going to negatively impact all of us.”
He advised all those involved in sabotaging the nation within the state and other parts of the Niger Delta region to turn a new leaf and look for decent means of earning a living.
“Yes, things are hard but that shouldn’t push us into criminality, because our country is bleeding and if we keep doing this, we will keep bleeding the more and everybody will feel it,” he added.