Unbelievable! Nigerian Army Invades Oil Criminals’ Den In Bayelsa State; See What Was Exposed In The Forest
The military’s Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, known as “Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), “recently uncovered 50 illegal refining sites in the Biseni forest of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. Rear Admiral John Okeke, the Commander of OPDS, spearheaded the operation, revealing that these sites were actively involved in illegal refining of stolen crude oil on a daily basis before being discovered and shut down by the military.
According to Rear Admiral Okeke, one of the illegal refining sites featured a large dugout open pit capable of holding more than 10 trucks of Alternative Gas Oil (AGO), which was used to store the stolen crude oil before distribution to cooking sites. He mentioned that prior to the operation, he had warned oil thieves in the area to cease their illegal activities or relocate elsewhere.
Speaking to the press after the operation, Rear Admiral Okeke highlighted the sophisticated methods employed by the oil thieves, including the use of a theft line” made of two- inch galvanized pipes extending up to one kilometer to siphon oil directly from supply lines on the road. He expressed astonishment at the scale of the operation, noting that the thick forest canopy concealed the criminal activities happening within.
Rear Admiral Okeke emphasized the relentless nature of the military’s efforts, stating, “Today like I said we are not going to relent and is work in progress. We will not get tired, we will continue, we are in Biseni in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa. “He credited the success of the operation to the cooperation of individuals who volunteered information about the illegal activities.
Addressing the broader issue of oil theft in Nigeria, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, recently lamented that the country loses an estimated 300, 000 barrels of crude oil per day to various forms of criminality, including oil theft and pipeline vandalism. This has resulted in annual revenue losses of approximately N1. 29 trillion.
Hon. Abbas made these remarks during the inauguration of the New Headquarters Naval Training Command in Ebubu community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. He highlighted the need for concerted efforts to combat these criminal activities and mitigate their adverse effects on Nigeria’ s economy.
