LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The military Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, known as “Operation Delta Safe (OPDS),” has discovered 50 illegal refining sites within the Biseni forest located in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The operation was led by the Commander of OPDS, Rear Admiral John Okeke.
The commander revealed that illegal refining of stolen crude oil was conducted at the sites on a daily basis before the military intervention.
After the operation, Okeke explained to journalists that a large dugout open pit discovered at one of the illegal refining sites could accommodate more than 10 trucks of Alternative Gas Oil (AGO), serving as a storage point for distributing crude oil to their cooking site.
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He had previously cautioned oil thieves in the region to cease their illicit activities or consider relocating to a different location.
He said: “On May 9, 2024, we were at Ukwa West LGA, in Abua State bordering Rivers State, a contiguous forest bear a shared along Imo River.
“Today like I said we are not going to relent and is work in progress. We will not get tired, we will continue, we are in Biseni in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa. We transverse from Ahoada West LGA, of Rivers to reach this point, the most surprising thing is that this place we are now is housing over 50 cooking sites with unique arrangements.
“Why are the thieves operating in this area decided to be so smart by connecting what is called theft line made of two inches pipe, a galvanized pipe connecting directly to supply oil line on the road, from a distance of one kilometer.
“Then they have a lot of funny connections where they have various arrangement of connection, multiple connection where each of the thief get their supply. From a large dugout open pit that can accommodate more than 10 trucks of AGO, holding crude oil from where they distribute to their cooking site.
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“Look at the thick forest, we are now, you can never imagine that such serious crime is going on here, if not for the good spirited individual that volunteer information, we wouldn’t have known,” he said.
During his speech at the unveiling of the New Headquarters Naval Training Command in Ebubu community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State last month, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, expressed concern over Nigeria’s loss of an estimated 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily due to oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and other criminal activities.
Abbas highlighted that these issues have led to revenue losses amounting to approximately N1.29 trillion annually.