Navy destroy illegal refinery with 1.59m litres of stolen diesel

In Rivers

Navy destroy illegal refinery with 1.59m
litres of stolen diesel

The Swamp Buggy strategy adopted by
approach which involved setting ablaze illegal refineries

The Nigerian Navy on Friday said it had discovered and
destroyed an illegal refinery with 1.59 million litres of
illegally refined diesel during a mop-up operation in Port
Harcourt.

Speaking at the destruction exercise, Commodore Williams
Kayoda, the Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS)
Pathfinder, however said no arrest was made during the raid.

Kayoda said the navy deployed troops to the site after it got
intelligence report about the illegal refinery situated around Iwofe,
Rumuolumeni area of Port Harcourt.

“Troops arriving at the site discovered 24 metallic tanks with
each containing 60,000 litres of petroleum product suspected to
be illegally refined diesel.

“Similarly, we discovered wooden boats with 150,000 litres of
diesel believed to be stolen diesel.

“The petroleum product was evacuated to a safe location before
troops destroyed the illegal refinery using a Swamp Buggy
machine which completely crushed the metallic tanks.

This new strategy is part of our efforts to end current air pollution
in Port Harcourt while making it difficult for oil thieves to revive
illegal refineries after it was destroyed,” he said.

The commander said the use of “Swamp Buggy” was part of
tactics which involved complete crushing of metal tanks rather than
setting both storage tanks and petroleum products ablaze.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new strategy
was adopted following reports that burning of illegal refineries
was partly responsible for current air pollution in Port Harcourt.

The Swamp Buggy strategy adopted by the navy replaces a
former approach which involved setting ablaze illegal refineries
and illegal bunker sites with its petroleum products.

Kayoda said the navy was committed to protecting the
environment and health of residents and assured that it would
carry out its mandate in line with standard practice.

“The Nigerian Navy will sustain this strategy until we bring this
menace to a stop because the economic prosperity of the nation
cannot be compromised to criminal individuals and groups.

“Operation Rivers Sweep which was concluded in February and
being consolidated with ongoing Operation White Valentine are
part of efforts to stop illegal bunkering and oil theft,” he said.

Also speaking during destruction exercise, Prof. Roseline Konya,
the Rivers Commissioner of Environment, said the Rivers
Government had setup a task force which was mandated to
discover and stop the source of the air pollution.

She said that Gov. Nyesom Wike had given the task force a
matching order to locate the source of the air pollution which
causes lung infection and cancer.

“We have seen that the military were in the past burning illegal
refineries partly because they had no alternatives.

“We are glad to witness that they no longer burn illegal refineries;
but destroy the sites by removing illegally refined petroleum
products before they crush storage tanks with Swap Buggy
machines.

“The Rivers government is pleading with individuals
organisations such as the Army and Navy to assist us locate
and eradicate the source of the soot,” she said.

Konya, who is chairperson of the task force, commended the
navy on the new Swamp Buggy strategy.