A naval patrol team deployed by the Forward Operations Base (FOB) Escravos in Delta State has arrested six persons for allegedly operating illegal refinery at Sara Creek near ESCRAVOS.
Also three Cotonou boats laden with suspected stolen crude oil were destroyed in the process. The patrol team also recovered one speed boat and a Cotonou boat carrying 15×10,000 liters and 2 x 5000 liters GP tanks laden with suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
Other items recovered are three outboard engines and 4 pumping machines.
The patrol team also arrested a Cotonou boat laden with 100 metric tons (MT) of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO. The boat was arrested on September 7 at Ogboro Creek in Warri South LGA of Delta State.
The Navy Director of Information,Commodore COR Ezekobi, warned those with legitimate businesses in the maritime sector to avoid criminal acts as “the service is willing, able and ready to carry out its constitutional mandate of protecting the economic assets of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
As part of Exercise Crocodile Smile, troops of 2 Brigade Nigerian Army in an anti-cultism operation on Friday cleared a notorious kidnappers camp at Obiozumini near Obite in Ogbema/Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The troops were earlier ambushed by the kidnappers but engaged and subdued them.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman said one victim was rescued from the camp. Also the troops during raids discovered and destroyed 52 illegal refineries.
They also recovered two high-powered engine boats, 10 empty drums and one pumping machine.