BY Kunle Daramola
Troops of the Nigerian army have uncovered a major illegal refining site in Delta state.
The operation was jointly carried out by the 181 Amphibious Battalion stationed at 6 division area of responsibility at Owahwa community in Ughelli South LGA, operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and those of a private security firm.
Speaking on the development on Sunday, Onyema Nwachukwu, army director of public relations, said the operation was in continuation of the sustained effort to deny oil thieves access to government owned crude oil.
He said the operation, which took place on Saturday, followed a surveillance report on the activities of illegal oil refineries in the area.
The spokesperson said the troops discovered 35 modular ovens, three fabricated reservoirs, 30 dugout reservoirs and 75 galvanised pipes.
“The operatives have since clamped down on the illegal refining site,” he said.
“The Nigerian Army enjoins all law-abiding citizens to continue to support ongoing anti-oil theft operations by reporting suspected illicit refining and illegal bunkering in their areas to security agencies.”
On July 27, TheCable reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) disclosed that it uncovered 240 illicit oil refineries in the Niger Delta in one week.
The company said the incidents mostly occurred in Bayelsa between July 15 and 21, adding that 93 illegal pipeline connections and 69 refineries were destroyed.
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