By Joy Odor
In continuation with the fight against Crude Oil Theft (COT), Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) and illegal bunkering, the Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO (OPDDB) of the Nigerian Navy (NN) has continued to achieve the outlined objectives in the various Areas of Operation (AOO).
In a press statement to newsmen in Abuja by the NN Director of Information, Commodore AO AYO-VAUGHAN on Thursday noted that on 20 June 2022 NNS VICTORY at Calabar intercepted MV EDIDIONG (IMO: 782500) laden with unspecified litres of AGO suspected to be illegally refined product.
Preliminary investigation showed that the vessel had legitimate permit to load product from 6 – 19 June 2022 but this had expired which was discovered that the vessel has been operating without switching on her Automatic Identification System (AIS).
The vessel and 7 crew were therefore detained and are currently in custody for detailed investigation.
Similarly, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH at Yenagoa sustained patrol around Oyoma, Swali, Sagbama, Kuolama, Akassa and Onimbu areas.
The Base arrested one wooden boat laden with about 1,200 litres of illegally refined crude oil product along Akassa axis and handed it over to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Bayelsa State Command, 5 suspects arrested at a loading point in Kaiama with intent to transfer illegally refined crude oil product from a large wooden boat to a tanker truck.
On the same day, NNS DELTA at Warri raided a previously deactivated IRS at Atamba creek in Gbodoro Community, Warri South West LGA where the IRS operators had resumed operation.
The IRS had 3 large pits cumulatively ladened with about 200,000 litres of stolen crude oil, 8 ovens and 14 metal storage tanks all containing about 170,000 litres of illegally refined AGO including about 135,000 litres of illegally refined DPK.
The IRS was again deactivated and the products handled appropriately. Afterwards, the Base sighted a wooden ‘Cotonou’ boat hidden inside a creek, ladened with about 25,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
The product and the boat were handled appropriately while a pumping machine was recovered.
Later the Base proceeded to another IRS in Banga creek where 6 ovens, 10 empty and 1 storage tank ladened with 5,000 litres of illegally refined AGO were discovered.
Also, 10 large pits, all filled with about 350,000 litres of stolen crude oil were discovered.
The IRS was deactivated and all products handled appropriately. Further exploration of the creek led to the discovery of 6 wooden boats cumulatively ladened with about 90,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
The boats and products were handled appropriately.On 21 June 2022, NNS PATHFINDER at Port Harcourt raided an IRS at Orutoru Community and Amabiribe/Abuja creeks in Bonny LGA, Rivers State, where 2 IRS were sighted.
The sites had about 5 metal ovens and about 8 metal tanks of different sizes. One of the tanks had freshly illegally refined products suspected to be AGO of about 250,000 litres while 2 tanks were laden with stolen crude oil estimated to be about 170,000 litres and the remaining 5 tanks were empty.
Further to this, one pumping machine and 5 rubber hoses were all recovered from the IRS. Similarly, on the same day, NNS DELTA at Warri raided a previously deactivated IRS at Madangho creek in Ugborodo community and discovered it was active with ovens and tanks containing about 80,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Also, there were 3 pits filled with about 120,000 litres of stolen crude oil. The IRS was again deactivated and all the products were handled appropriately.
Also, an IRS at around Bennet Island in Warri South LGA of Delta State was raided and deactivated.
The IRS had 5 metal storage tanks containing about 16,000 litres of stolen crude oil and about 7,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. A total of 3 pumping machines and one generator were recovered from the site.
Furthermore, the Base intercepted 2 wooden boats around Obodo Omadino in Warri South LGA.
The wooden boats were laden with about 25,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
Another IRS was found that had one large pit and 5 storage tanks containing about 20,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 150,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Five pumping machines were recovered from the site.
The site and wooden boats were handled appropriately.On 23 June 2022, NNS DELTA sustained patrol around Mbiama, Ahoda, Ekedi, Sagbama, Brass, Akassa, Kuolama and Onimbu.
The Base intercepted 2 tanker trucks around Mbiama and Ahoda; one laden with 60,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO and the other with about 30,000 litres.
Both trucks were deserted. Similarly, NNS PATHFINDER arrested a truck laden with about 30,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO.
Also, the Base intercepted one large wooden boat loaded with about 600,000 litres of product suspected to be crude oil around Dead-Man Island in Rivers State.
The boat and product were handled appropriately.On 24 June 2022, as part of efforts to continuously deny illegal bunkerers and crude oil thieves freedom of operation, NNS SOROH sustained patrol in her Area of Operation (AOO).
During this, the Base arrested a wooden boat laden with about 10,000 litres of suspected illegally refined crude oil product along Akassa area.
The boat and products were deactivated. Also, the Base revisited a previously deactivated IRS in Sangana Creek, Brass LGA.
The IRS had been reactivated with 5 illegal refining units (ovens), 4 pits and 8 metal storage tanks all containing about 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 50,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO.
The IRS was again deactivated. Also, one Fireman generator (6kw), one inverter welding engine, one filing machine, 2 rolls of hoses and welding materials were recovered from the site.
On the same day, NNS DELTA located an IRS at a creek around Benin River in Warri North LGA of Delta State.
The site had 15 ovens, 18 metal storage tanks and 3 pits containing about 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil and about 120,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO.
Also 3 pumping machines and one generator were discovered on the site. Accordingly, the site was also deactivated.
Meanwhile on 25 June 2022, NNS SOROH at Yenagoa received information from Oil Mining License (OML) 59 Sangana indicating that one MV CAVALCADE fully loaded with unknown substance sank within its AOO with her mast on the surface.
The mishap could have possibly occurred as a result of overload or lack of seaworthiness.
Pertinently, the crew of the vessel were rescued to Sangana community.
Further revelation indicated that the vessel sank at about 1.3 nautical miles (nm) from Adriatic One rig, and 3.5 nm off Sangana river entrance. On 26 June 2022, NNS SOROH discovered a vandalized pipeline along the Obama-Base axis belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Brass.
The company’s management was notified accordingly. Similarly on 27 June 2022, Naval Security Station (NSS) 028 under NNS SOROH rescued 2 timber workers while on patrol around Nembe axis.
The victims were from Ogbia and had earlier been attacked, dispossessed of their sawing machines and abandoned in the bush by certain sea robbers.
They were evacuated from the scene and released. In related development, NSS 028 apprehended a market boat around Saint Nicolas River.
The boat was conveying about 7,500 litres of illegally refined products stowed in sacks, bags and gallons.
The products were handled appropriately. Furthermore, NNS DELTA located an IRS around Egwa Creek in Warri South-West LGA.
The site had 2 ovens, 4 metal storage tanks and 130 sacks of about 5,000 litres of stolen crude oil, and about 60,900 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO.
The Base also intercepted about 4,750 litres of illegally refined AGO around Ode Itsekiri in Warri South LGA, 4 speedboats laden with 19 x 250 litres of drums.
The speedboats, drums and pumping machine were recovered. On the same day, NNS PATHFINDER discovered an IRS around adjoining creeks at Opu Adakiri and Otomakolombie general area.
At the site, 3 empty metals tanks and an oven were discovered within the same general area, another IRS and a wooden boat ladened with about 400,000 litres of stolen crude oil were found.
The boat and product were handled appropriately while a pumping machine and a generator were recovered.
Furthermore, on 28 June 2022, NNS JUBILEE at Ikot-Abasi in conjunction with NSS 031, intercepted a wooden boat LGA laden with about 30, 000 litres of stolen crude oil around Ataba Creek in Oyorokoto general area of Andoni.
Furthermore, the 3 tanker trucks earlier arrested by NNS SOROH on 23 June 2022 were moved to a safe location and deactivated. On the same day, NNS DELTA raided an IRS along Yeye/Khatoum Creek in Warri South West LGA.
The IRS was inactive but had 12 ovens, 18 receiver tanks and some ovens under construction with 6 pits filled with about 300,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
All the products were handled appropriately, while 2 welding machines and one 8hp outboard engine were recovered.
On 29 June 2022, NNS DELTA at Warri raided a previously deactivated IRS along Madangho Creek in Warri South West LGA.
The IRS was found to be active with 3 ovens, 5 receiver tanks as well as 8 large pits filled with about 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 700,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
All the products were handled appropriately. Relatedly, the Base in conjunction with Sector 1, Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS) and Chevron personnel discovered an illegal connection point on Chevron crude oil supply pipeline at Sara creek in Warri South West LGA.
The illegal connection were disconnected and the pipes were recovered to Chevron yard. Same day, NNS DELTA intercepted 2 tanker trucks along Omimi Link road in Uvwie LGA.
One truck was laden with about 15,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO while the other had about 18,000 litres of illegally refined DPK.
It was gathered that the trucks were loaded with the illegally refined products around White House road in Jakpa, Warri.
Accordingly, the trucks were driven to a safe location along Warri-Sapele road and handled appropriately. Similarly, NNS PATHFINDER conducted swamp buggy operation at a dump site in Opumakiri, Obio/Akpor LGA Area along Cawthorne Channel.
During the operation, 5 metal reservoirs, 12 welding cylinders, new iron sheets and pipes were handled appropriately.
Meanwhile, 4 hot ovens were deactivated. Following the successful seizures made by NNS VICTORY at Calabar, on 13 June 2022, the Base on 30 June 2022 handed over a total of 677 drums of suspected illegally gotten PMS to NSCDC Cross River State Command.
Relatedly, on the same day, NNS DELTA at Warri intercepted one Toyota Sequoia Jeep laden with sacks of illegally refined product in Warri South LGA.
Precisely, a total of 50 x 30 litres sacks containing about 1,500 litres of suspected illegally refined DPK.
Accordingly, the vehicle with the products were seized and handled appropriately. Furthermore, the Base deactivated an IRS at Egwa Creek in Warri South West LGA.
IRS had 8 ovens, 15 receiver tanks and 6 large pits, containing about 50,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
Also, intercepted was an abandoned wooden boat loaded with sacks collectively filled with about 10,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
The boat and sacks were handled appropriately.
Meanwhile, One generator and a cutting machine were recovered. Another previously deactivated IRS at Madangho Creek in Warri South West LGA was discovered to be active with 6 ovens, 8 receiver tanks and 4 large pits filled with about 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and about 200,000 litres of stolen crude oil and handled appropriately.
Similarly, on 30 June 2022, NNS SOROH discovered 5 assembly points/stores at Mbiama.
The stores held about 45,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. Same was destroyed insitu.
Another Toyota Land Cruiser loaded with about 20,000 litres of bagged AGO from the assembly point, was found in a nearby gutter.
The criminals had deliberately driven it into the gutter to conceal it before absconding.
Additionally, the Base visited a previously deactivated IRS along Mbiama where there were signs that the IRS operators were making efforts to resuscitate the site which had 2 mini storage tanks, 4 large pits and 2 mini ovens collectively containing about 45,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO and approximately 10,000 litres of crude oil.
The Summary of data and achievements of OPDDB from 20 – 30 June 2022 is thus as follows: AGO – 1,301,750 litres @ N820/litre = N1,067,435,000Crude Oil – 21,744 barrels (@ $120/barrel) = N1,083,555,705.6 ($2,609,280)DPK – 154,500 litres @ N679.54/litre = N104,988,930
Total Approximated Value of Products Denied Oil Thieves from 20 – 30 June 2022 is Two Billion Two Hundred and Fifty Five Million Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand Six Hundred and Thirty Five Naira Six Kobo (N2,255,979,635.6) Only.
The following were also recorded: Destroyed IRS – 14Arrested Suspects – 12Rescued – 2Arrested Vessel – 1Arrested Boats – 16 Arrested Vehicles – 4Destroyed Ovens – 88Destroyed Large Pits – 52Destroyed Storage Tanks – 119Recovered Outboard Engine – 1Recovered Generators – 6Recovered Inverter – 1Recovered Wielding Machines – 14Recovered Pumping Machines – 21Recovered Hoses – 7Recovered Filing Machine – 1.
Total approximated value of products denied oil thieves for the Month ofJune 2022 is Seven Billion Thirty Six Million Five Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand Five Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira Ninety Six Kobo (N7,036,534,578.96) only.
Meanwhile for the 90 days of OPDDB (1 April to 30 June 2022) the value of crude oil and products denied oil thieves and criminals is about Twenty Four Billion Eighty Two Million Six Thousand One Hundred and Three Naira Ninety Six Kobo (N24,082,006,103.96) only.
Details of the products are as follows: AGO – 21,698,562.59 litres Crude Oil – 36,707,420.16 litres/230,882.73 barrels DPK – 649,775.38 litres PMS – 345,000.49 litres Sludge – 380,000 litres LPFO – 66,000 litres Needful to add that the duration of OPDDB has been extended by 30 days.
