ILLEGAL OIL BUNKERING:- Nigerian Navy Arrests Ship With Petroleum Products , 12 Crew Members

The Nigerian Navy has announced has the arrest of a ship laden with petroleum products believed to be stolen or illegally obtained in the Niger Delta region.

According to reports from This Day, about a dozen crew members on the offending vessel were also arrested by the navy during the operation that took place on Dodo River in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state.

The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Captain Musa Gemu, who disclosed this to newsmen at the Warri Naval Base, said his officers and men also destroyed at least 53 illegal local refineries in another operation also on Friday.

Intelligence received by the navy revealed that dozens of illegal local refineries littered the interior creeks in and around Ashafama Community in the Escrovos area of Warri South-West Local Government Area.

A couple of gunboats were subsequently dispatched and swooped on the said community on Friday, eventually laying waste petroleum products estimated at over 50 metric tonnes.

No arrest was however made when the 53 illegal refining units were destroyed, Captain Gemu disclosed, saying it was “apparently because the operators had sensed danger and fled” the place before the naval operatives stormed the place.

Nevertheless, Gemu gave the name of the arrested ship as ‘MV MAGA’, saying “all the crew members are Nigerians” though their individual identities were yet to ascertained.

The vessel was loaded with about 54 metric tonnes of crude oil, Gemu said, adding that the ship would be in its custody till further notice.

“I’ve sent the arrested ship, used for illegal bunkering on Dodo River, under escort to our Naval Base in Sapele for custody”, the NNS Delta commander said.

He said he was “very impressed” at Friday’s operations, including the razed illegal refineries and the seized ship, but expressed the hope that the “enormous loss being suffered would make the perpetrators have a rethink and go back to legitimate business.”

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