Imported User:
Operatives of the Joint Military Task Force, code named Operation Pluto Shield, at the weekend condoned off the Otuogori Community of Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over alleged involvement of the community leadership and youths in the storage and sales of huge volumes of illegally refined crude oil from the waterways and creeks of the state.
This led to the arrest of six people and seizure of a 33,000 litres capacity fuel tanker.
The men of the JTF, who stormed the community at about 3:00am, intercepted the fuel tanker with registration number XQ239LSR while loading from a surface tank positioned in the community. The tanker and the loaded illegal crude were seized and destroyed by the JTF.
Also seized and destroyed were six huge capacity pumping machines and hoses used to pump illegal products from over 12 surface tanks discovered along the waterfront of the community.
Leading newsmen on a tour of the community, the Coordinator of the JTF Media Centre, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said though many of the suspected youths and leaders in the community involved in the illegal activity had absconded from the community, the JTF discovered that every household were used to store illegally refined products.
The JTF discovered over 300 houses used in storing huge numbers of drums filled with illegally refined crude. Some of the products were in polythene bags and stored in various parts of the homes in the community including the home of the Paramount Ruler, Dogood Akpufu Ogiri XII.
