The Navy destroys a reactivated illegal refinery in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy says it has destroyed an illegal refinery site in Rivers State that was reactivated by operators.

The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, who disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, said personnel of the Nigerian Naval Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed the reactivated illegal refinery site in Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

He said the action was taken after credible intelligence reports that previously dismantled illegal refinery sites had resumed operations.

According to him, the Anti-Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location found that the dismantled refining oven had been rebuilt.

“Further exploitation in the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing approximately 3,000 liters of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.

Folorunsho added that the infrastructure of the illegal distillery – including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connecting pipes and new metal components used for the illegal distillation – was destroyed in accordance with operational procedures.

He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 liters of suspected stolen petroleum products in the area of ​​the Nigerian Ports Authority in Calabar, Cross River State.

He said the interception was based on credible intelligence information regarding the alleged siphoning of petroleum products from ships anchored at the port.

According to him, a naval patrol team was swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally sucked products to the trailer parking area inside the port facility.

“When they saw the Indonesian Navy patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled from the scene, after which the area was closed and the products that were extracted illegally were seized,” he said.

Folorunsho said further inspection resulted in the discovery of about 3,950 liters of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerry cans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in accordance with existing regulations.

He noted that the success was in line with the directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.