Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, on Wednesday destroyed a three million-litre capacity illegal refinery, with six refining camps in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The illegal refinery camps located within Cawthorne Channel II, near Bonny, steals crude oil from a wellhead in Oil Mining Lease, OML, 18 operated by NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Energy.
The illegal refiners had installed a six inches pipeline running over 2 kms from the wellhead to a 3 million litres capacity reservoir, which distributes crude oil to the six illegal refining camps.
Conducting newsmen around the illegal refinery, the Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said the oil thieves were not only sabotaging the nation’s economy but also destroying the environment.
Igbo, who ensured that the illegal pipeline was disconnected from the wellhead, and the camps destroyed, advised youths to desist from criminality venture into legal business.
He said: “Here is NNPCL’s OML18 oil wellhead that is being tapped with a 6 inches pipe connected to the wellhead by oil thieves. The pipe runs for about 2 kilometres from the wellhead to their reservoir and thereafter channelled to their cooking pots. This is a clear case of economic sabotage.
“My men, the Tactical Assault Squadron of NNS Pathfinder on our patrol in the creeks discovered the site yesterday, (Tuesday) and we are here to ensure that this does not continue anymore.
“Also, this is in compliance and pursuit of the Chief of Naval Staff’s, Vice Admiral, Emmanuel Ogalla, directives to his field Commanders, that we must ensure that the issue of oil theft in Niger Delta becomes history and eradicated at least to the barest minimum.
“The capacity of the bunkering sites runs into 3 millions of litres, if not more. We are yet to make any arrest because the place is an open place, so the hoodlums fled on sighting us, but we are going to trace them and trace those who are sponsoring them because they cannot come here without having big people behind them to sponsor them. We will put down our intelligences in action and make such we trace their sponsors.”
The NNS Pathfinder boss also said the Navy was already engaging community stakeholders on a dialogue against oil theft, and the need for the youths to desist from all forms of criminalities.
“We are engaging the community stakeholders to talk to their youth from engaging in oil theft. When I resumed command, all the Community and Paramount rulers, have been visited and I have also told them to call their youths to order. We have told the youths to refrain from oil theft and look for alternative ways to earn a living.
“This is not the best way to earn a living. There are so many ways to earn a living instead of demaging the environment and also they are depriving the Federal Government of the needed revenue,” he added.
