Niger Delta

Navy Destroys 19 Illegal Oil Refineries

Published

11 years ago

July 31, 2015

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyesigha (left), inaugurating executive members of Governor Dickson Support Movement (Dsm) in Yenagoa on Wednesday

The Nigerian Navy Ship
(NNS), Delta State, has said that it destroyed 19 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region in the last five weeks.
The Commander of the ship, Commodore Aliyu Sule, told newsmen in Warri, Delta that more than 2,000 metric tons of stolen crude and illegally refined diesel were destroyed during the period.
He said the navy destroyed the products in multiple operations in the creeks of Warri South and Warri South-West local government areas.
He said the Navy also apprehended four suspected marketers of illegally refined diesel and other petroleum-related products.
According to Sule, the suspects were caught in possession of 33 drums and 254 cans filled with petroleum products in Milan waterside, beside old Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Warri.
The commander attributed the feats to the improved surveillance and useful intelligence gathering by the personnel.
“Intelligence gathering is vital in winning the war against oil theft,’’ he said.
Sule, who assumed leadership of the command in April, said he understudied the terrains in his area of responsibility and promptly marshaled an action plan to curb the excesses of the criminals.
Sule said the determination by the navy to combat illegal oil deals was in line with the chief of naval staff ‘s zero tolerance to crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other illegalities.
According to sources, on June 16, naval personnel stormed the Oteghele forest in Warri South-West and destroyed seven illegal refineries and more than 500 metric tons of crude and other refined products.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the exercise, Sule said the maiden operation was a warning to the perpetrators to prepare for the worst.
The navy also raided the Egbokodo forest in Warri South on July 23 and destroyed two illegal refineries and a Cotonou-bound boat laden with products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
Sule said the naval team also stormed Kantu forest in Warri South-West and destroyed 10 illegal refineries and unspecified quantity of crude and other refined products.
He also listed items burnt in the operation to include two pumping machines, 20 metallic and plastic drums filled with suspected refined diesel and other products.
Also razed were five makeshift tents where assorted foodstuffs like rice, beans, gari, condiments, wears and bags of detergents were stored.
Sule said that since those behind the sabotage had resolved not to desist from the nefarious trade, the navy had also intensified its surveillance network on the waterways.
“We over flew the Egbokodo forest on June 30 with the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Stanley Ogoigbe, and discovered two illegal refineries.
“In Kantu forest, I understand the place is a complex, what we destroyed now is just a tip of the iceberg. We are going back in the nearest future to destroy more,’’ he said.
Sule, who decried the ecological effect of oil theft, said destruction of the illegal products was part of their regulations.

Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.

He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.

The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.

He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.

According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.

“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.

“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.

He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.

According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.

Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.

He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.

The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.

“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.

“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said

In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.

He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.

The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.

He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.

According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.

The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.

The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.

Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.

She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.

“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.

The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.

AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.

“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.

“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.

According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.

Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.

“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.

He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.

“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.

Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.

CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.

The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.

Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.