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… Arrests four Suspects
By Emmanuel Ovundah, Port Harcourt
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismantled illegal equipment used in stealing crude from the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 wellhead in Rivers State.
The wellhead at Well 17, OML 18, installed by the NNPCL to supply crude to her nearest flow station at Cawthorne Channel 3, but yet to be commissioned before the invasion of the oil thieves, is located at Elem-Krakrama Creek in Degema local government area of Rivers State.
The Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Sulaiman Ibrahim while addressing newsmen at the site said the illegal equipments dismantled was fixed by suspected oil thieves and is being used to siphon crude from the NNPCL’s wellhead.
He said the operation embarked by the Navy was inline with the charge of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla to curb oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
According to him, the site was discovered by naval helicopter on patrol on the waterways and creeks in the area. “During one of our overflight, we noticed that some boats were illegally stealing crude from the wellhead, we immediately deployed two gunboats who came and ensured that the illegal activity was stopped”.
He alleged that mining experts must have been hired by the oil thieves to carry out the illegal act, adding that pipes and other equipments being used to steal crude oil from the wellhead were recovered from the site.
“What I have seen on this site; the level of sophistication of the arrangement and connection of the illegal pipes from the wellhead and its careful distribution to the planned loading points I have not seen such anywhere.
“The individuals involved in this illicit act really took their time to accurately measure, mark out, and welded every bit of the pipes here on site. These were done by experts,” he noted.
The Commander disclosed that though no arrest has been made so far, but noted that they (Navy) is working with other sister security agencies to track all those involved especially key players of illegal oil activities, ensure their arrested and hand them over to prosecuting agencies.
“The Navy does not have that prosecuting powers, we make arrests and hand over to agencies that has the prosecuting powers but we try as much as possible to monitor the court processes to ensure that the needful is done, but we don’t decide what punishment the judges will give to offenders.
“But sometimes, I think these punishments is just like a tap on the wrist, it doesn’t really deter the people from committing these offences, but I believe the judiciary would do the needful to discourage these illegal activities”.
Furthermore, the Naval Chief said two wooden boats laden with unspecified quantity of illegally refined diesel (AGO) were intercepted and set ablaze on their way to the oil field, while 4 illegal oil bunkerers were arrested.
All four suspects who hail from Southern Ijaw Council of Bayelsa State, but reside in Borokiri, Port Harcourt, confessed to Journalists that they were paid N20,000 to transport diesel from the creeks to Port Harcourt.
However, the Navy Commander said the suspects would be handed over to prosecuting agencies.
