The 6 Division of Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, bust several illegal bunkering sites in Odagwa, Etche Local Government Area where over 3 million litres of crude oil and bunkering facilities were captured.
Six persons were also arrested, who confessed to being involved at the various levels of the illegal business.
The operation was led by the General Officer Commanding 6Division and Theatre Commander, Operation Delta Safe, Land Component, Major Gen. Jamal Abdussalam.
The GOC, his officers, and men, including Commander, 6 Division Garrison, Brigadier General Eddie Effiong, and some journalists walked for hours through the windy hyberinth or the rafia forest of Odagwa, Etche Local Government Area to discover the facilities.
Some of the facilities include earthen reservoirs constructed with tarpaulin with some having capacity to hold over 200,000 liters of crude oil, some drums which serve as boilers for the stolen crude.
Also discovered were several kilometers-long hoses and pipes used by the bunkers to siphon and transport crude from the tapped crude oil Pipeline to the reservoirs, pumping machines, some polyethylene bags of crude oil at some of the sites, and other ancillary facilities.
Speaking to journalists after taking them round some of the confiscated facilities Major Gen. Abdussalam said the idea of the operation was to let Nigeria and Nigerians know exactly what was happening.
“Base on credible intelligence which led us to this location, we have discovered so many illegalities taking place here. We have seen over fourteen (14) reservoirs which can contain upward of two hundred thousand (200,000.00) litres of crude, in this bush.
“We also discovered about 49 boilers which are capable of processing crude oil, all located inside this forest.
“This place is totally forested, even from the air using helicopter and drones, you will not be able to see what we actually saw on the ground.
“And you have seen the network of pipes and cables and other tools connected around the whole area,” he stated.
He explained that the crude discovered at the site was in excess of daily crude export of Nigeria, which is very pathetic and very sad.
He added; “Outside this bridge, we have a lot of well heads, most of them are not in use. It is from these well heads that these our people put pipes and siphon these crude oil”.
He announced that few arrests were made but pointed out that those arrested were not the key players in this business.
Major Gen. Abdussalam said; “They are basically labourers, the main players have not been caught, but now that we have discovered this place, with proper intelligence and investigation, we are going to apprehend them.
“This discovery is part of our efforts to ensure that the federal government gets what is due to it. The budget has been passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr. President and it has become law.
“That budget is based on some parameters, and one of those parameters is the crude oil production that we chun out everyday so, any drop in that crude oil production will affect everybody in this country but our people are not aware of that and that is why they engage in this criminal and dirty business”.
He warned perpetrators of the illegal business to have a rethink and repent from their evil ways saying that they would be eventually captured and punished if they refused to stop.
