The Nigerian Navy, in an operation executed by high-ranking officers from the Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS DELTA, on Bennet Island and in Kantu community, among other places in the Warri South and the Warri South-West local government areas of the state, has destroyed illegal refineries, as well as 8,000 metric tons of stolen crude oil and illegally refined products.
The NNS DELTA Commander, Commodore Raimi Muhammed, while disclosing this on Monday in the NNS base in Delta, said the operation followed the navy’s determination to clean up illegal activities in the Niger-Delta region.
The Commander said the successful operation was made possible by days of strategic planning, adding that the navy would soon advise the Federal Government to enact a law that would make communities that accommodate illegal refineries to forfeit their land.
He confirmed that the operation was conducted in several areas, including Bennet Island, Pipeline community and Kantu.
Muhammed said, “On Bennet Island, a total of 26 storage pits used for storing crude oil was discovered and a total of 4,900 metric tons of product suspected to be crude oil was destroyed.
“Also, illegally refined petrol was discovered in several tanks totaling 65.5 metric tons. They were not only destroyed, my men went into the community and recovered two pumping machines and two generators.
“In the Kantu area, men and officers of the navy uncovered a total of 22 storage tanks, 16 contained petrol (130 metric tons), while product suspected to the crude oil was found in pits totaling about 3,000 metric tons.
“The people behind the illicit activities were not ready to give up, but men and officers of the navy will do everything possible to destroy all illegal refineries in the Niger-Delta region,” the Commander said, adding that the product and the pits have been set ablaze.
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