Ilegal Bunkering: JTF To Destroy Vessels

President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (pengassan), Comrade Babatunde Ogun (left) and the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, at the pengassan 4th trienial national delegates’ conference in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN

The Joint Task Force
(JTF) in the Niger Delta has warned that henceforth, any vessel or tankers used in oil bunkering activities in the region would be destroyed.
The commander of the Task Force, Maj-Gen Emmanuel Atewe who gave the warning last Saturday advised owners of vessels and tankers to stop the use of their facilities in such illegal activities or face the full wrath of the law.
Atewe frowned at the activities of some of the vessels and truck owners who he said encourage the use of their facilities for such illegal activities, stressing that it had become imperative to take stiffer measure to check stealing of crude because the owners of such facilities always claim that they did not know that such tankers and vessels were used for criminal activities.
He said the command was committed to the protection of oil platforms against thieves which is in line with its mandate.
“Therefore, we are advising that vessel owners should always verify the intentions of persons before hiring out their vessels to them,” he said.
The commander further disclosed that the JTF had handed over to the EFCC, three suspects arrested for illegal oil bunkering for prosecution.
He said the three suspects were arrested on June 15 this year by troops of the command at Ogale, Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State.

Chris Oluoh