The Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt says it has handed over 42,000 litres of diesel suspected to have been stolen to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for prosecution.
During the handover in Port Harcourt, Navy Capt. Olusegun Soyemi, Executive Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, said that naval operatives made the seizure following a recent raid.
He added that the diesel was stored in 160 drums and boats.
According to executive officer, the navy also handed over a wooden boat containing 70,000 litres of crude oil and 10 suspected oil thieves to NSCDC.
He said the raid was aimed at putting an end to the colossal damage to the environment by oil thieves, whom he said often puncture pipelines to obtain crude oil.
“Following intelligence tip-off on Jan. 13, our patrol team raided Alakiri creek and impounded a wooden boat containing 20,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.
“While interrogating two suspects arrested during the raid, they confessed to have sourced the product from the ship builders’ yard situated in Port Harcourt.
“Based on this new information, we conducted a mop up operation on the facility and discovered 100 drums, all loaded with products suspected to be illegally refined diesel.
“We arrested five suspects at the scene and also seized two wooden boats, a speed boat and four tanker trucks waiting to lift products at the facility,” he said.
Soyemi said that the yard, belonging to the Federal Government, had been sealed off by naval operatives.
The executive officer said that troops on patrol of Abonema Warf waterways sighted and seized a speed boat drifting amid stream.
‘’Our patrol team accosted the boat and discovered 4,500 litres of illegally refined diesel and arrested its captain..
“Similarly, on Jan. 24, naval troops at Arugbano, close to Orubiri area, seized a wooden boat carrying 60 drums of stolen diesel and a speed boat.
“Two suspects, who were transporting the products without clearance from the navy and other relevant government agencies, were subsequently arrested.
Soyemi said the mop up would continue until all illegal refineries and loading points were destroyed and sealed off, and their operators arrested and prosecuted.
Receiving the suspects and petroleum products, Mr Steven Morgan, NSCDC Head of anti-Vandal Unit, Rivers command, promised that the corps would carry out thorough and forensic investigation on the products.
He added that the suspects would be prosecuted.