JTF Intercepts Vessel, 10 Crew Members With Illegally Refined Products

The Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has arrested a vessel, MV Ofuoma, a dug out wooden boat and 10 crew members with 55,000 litres of illegally refined products in Rivers State.

This was disclosed by the component commander, OPDS, Commodore John Siyanbade, who represented the OPDS Commander, Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira, while addressing newsmen, yesterday.

He stated that on August 15, 2023 a vessel, MV Ofuoma, in Port Harcourt was arrested by the unit of the maritime component specifically Nigerian Navy Ship Pafinder, in connection with a vessel that has been used as a storage for illegally refined products.

The Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, covers all the South South states with headquarters in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

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According to Rear Adm. Ferreira, the vessel was discovered at Abuloma jetty in Port Harcourt.

He said the vessel was receiving product suspected to be illegally refined AGO, when it was intercepted by OPDS, adding that about 20,000 litres of the product have already been transferred from the dug out boat to the vessel.

“Here currently we have about 35,000 litres still remaining on board as you have seen, the operation was conducted by troops of the JTF Operation Delta Safe Headquarters. 10 suspects was arrested at the time of interception both from the crew on board the vessel and also the crew from the dug in boat making it 10.

“The suspects have given credible information about where they source the product from, operation is on going to deactivate the illegal refining site in the area and the operation will be for some time.

“All this is to show that the OPDS with all its components are not relenting on their effort to ensuring that crude oil theft and other forms of illegality in the operation area is eradicated and the main stay of Nigerian economy is not tampered with by people who want their peculiar gains”, he said.

The commander warned all those who indulge in illegality to stop and look for legitimate business to do, or be ready to face the law.