The Nigerian Navy has called on its personnel to sustain the tempo on the fight against illegal refining and pipeline vandalism within the Niger Delta region.
The flag officer commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, made the call during a visit to illegal oil bunkering sites in Bille, Cawthorne Channel and Ke communities in Degema local government area of Rivers State.
Dewu said the campaign against illegal refining and pipeline vandalism being carried out by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, was part of “Exercise Dakatar Da Barawo” recently launched by the Navy to eliminate crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta region and the nation at large.
He said: “Taking the war against oil theft to vandals in the creeks is part of the step up activities embarked upon by Nigerian Navy with the determination to end illegal oil activities.
“This operation involves the use of swamp buggy to dismantle the illegal refining infrastructure being used by vandals to refine or as it is said in the local palace, “cook” the products and sell to their collaborators who often load the products in the middle of the night.”
The FOC who assessed the success of the swamp buggy operations in Ke community, expressed displeasure over the negative impact of oil bunkering to the economy, farmlands and aquatic life.
Dewu described as disheartening, collaboration between the communities and the vandals and enjoined all stakeholders to support the Navy for total eradication of illegal oil activities in the nation.
Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim, said the operation would be sustained despite efforts by the bunkerers to regroup after their sites have been dismantled. Suleiman stated that over 70 vandals had been arrested in the sustained operation and handed over to prosecuting agencies for action.
