The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a large site with three tanks used as storage points in Okolomade community, Abua Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH (NNS), Commodore Nanmar Lakan, who undertook a tour of the site over the weekend with newsmen, stated that the last arrest made led the Navy to credible information and intelligence of human technology to discover the particular site. He said the site was used as a storage point to store illegally refined AGO, which is commonly known as diesel.
Lakan disclosed that three suspects conveying the illegally refined products with tricycles known as Keke, along Okolomade community road, have been arrested.
“We have opened the tank and we have confirmed the product; we are going to do further investigation to know the source of the products and, also, to discover where the people are refining the product in this particular point. With what we are seeing here, we are still pleading with the perpetrators to desist from it. I told them the last time that we were coming for them.
“I want to assure them that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them. So, it is my candid advice that they should stop this environmental pollution. Crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism is not good for our country; it is not good for our economy, and it’s not also good for the citizens.
I appeal they should look for other means of survival. Stolen crude oil is causing problems everywhere. I assure them that me and my men will work seriously, day and night, to ensure that illegality stops,” he said.
Lakan said the products will be handed over to the appropriate authority that would do further investigation to ensure that illegality stops in Nigeria. He stated that under the mandate of the Chief of Naval Staff and the mandate of Operation Delta Safe, NNS SOROH have continued to carry out patrol in all areas within her area of responsibility.