Navy destroys illegal diesel refinery in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, in a major crackdown on economic saboteurs, has destroyed a large-scale illegal crude oil refining site along the Ogoloma-Bakana River in Rivers State.

The site was capable of producing two million barrels of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) daily. The Guardian learnt that the destruction aligned with the directive by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to eradicate all illegal refining sites.

Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku, led the operation to destroy over 500 drums containing over one million litres of AGO. The site, which was discovered after a sustained intelligence and surveillance effort, was found to be using drums to refine stolen crude oil into AGO and other byproducts.

Commodore Aniaku said the thieves had switched to using drums, which are cheaper and easier to dismantle, making detection more challenging. He said, “Our personnel moved in here yesterday. What we found out was quite revealing. The oil thieves have moved away from the normal method of using frail metal pans for cooking and refining stolen illegal crude oil to AGOs and other by-products.

“They are now using drums to refine, which offered them some tactical advantage because the drum is cheaper to construct and very easy to dismantle.” Aniaku warned that naval operatives would not rest until all illegal refining sites were destroyed. He urged the oil thieves to desist from their activities, stating they would not be spared.

He added, “They have destroyed over 500 drums containing over 200 litres of AGO, amounting to over a million litres of AGO. The operation is still ongoing. This site can produce 2 million barrels of illegally refined products daily. That is why we will not rest on our oars to see that we destroy these illegal refining sites appropriately.

“After this, we will keep on searching. It took us over five days of intelligence and surveillance effort because, ordinarily, if it were a metal drum with drones and surveillance patrol, we would be able to discover that.”