Officers and men of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder have uncovered a private residence converted into an illegal refining site in Okwuzi community, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, led the military team on a tour of the illegal refining site and informed journalists on Friday that over 200,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, commonly known as diesel, were confiscated.
Two suspects were arrested during the operation.
Commodore Igbo stated that the discovery, made in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s mandate to combat crude oil theft and related vices in the Niger Delta region, was achieved through concerted intelligence efforts.
The commander described the volume of illegally refined products at the site as massive, noting that some were bagged in sacks, some stored in drums, and over 62 tanks were filled.
He confirmed that over 200,000 litres of illegal products refined from crude oil siphoned or stolen from pipelines were found.
Commodore Igbo indicated that the suspects would be handed over to prosecuting agencies and that the compound would be sealed.
He also advised youths in the region not to allow themselves to be used as tools to sabotage the nation’s economy