Oil Theft: Govt To Prosecute 175 Suspects

The  Joint Task Force
(JTF) in the Niger Delta has destroyed 362 illegal, local crude oil refineries
during its patrol of the region.

The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu
said the illegal refineries were in Kolokolo area of Bisigbo in Warri South
Local Government Area of Delta State, Igbomotoro and Sangana communities in
Bayelsa State.

Nwachukwu said, over the weekend, that the JTF arrested 3
vessels and 7 barges reportedly engaged in crude oil theft .

According to him, the arrest of the vessels and barges took
place on the Opobo River in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State and
Tomkiri in Brass Local Government of Bayelsa State.

“The operation as well led to the scuttling of 75 wooden
boats (Cotonou boats) conveying illegal petroleum products at Ogbokodo creek
and Ugbokolo areas of Warri South West of
Delta State.

“175 suspects were arrested in the operation and handed over
to prosecuting agencies, “ Nwachukwu said.

He stated that the new JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Bata
Debiro’s counter strategy to stamp out oil theft in the Niger Delta was
yielding positive results.

“Debiro had already embarked on an appraisal tour of troops’
deployments, including Naval Forward Operational Bases (FOB) in Brass, Bonny,
and Escravos.

Nwachukwu said the tour also took the JTF commander to
Nigerian Navy Ship Delta in Warri and the Amphibious troops, 146 Battalions and
343 Regiment of Nigerian Army deployed in Warri, Bonny Island and Nembe,
respectively.

Nwachukwu quoted Debiro as saying that “Nigeria is the only
country where people engage in crude oil theft with the connivance of our
country men and we must put an end to it.”

“He pointed out that crude oil theft is tantamount to
economic sabotage and a threat to the economic security and future generations
of Nigeria,” the JTF spokesman said.

Nwachukwu stated that the commander had vowed to tackle the
menace of oil theft vigorously.

He said that Debiro had
warned operatives of JTF to sit up and face the challenge before the Task
Force.