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The Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder, has said it uncovered and seized a private residence converted into an illegal refinery in the Okwuzi community of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Navy said over 200,000 litres of illegally-refined Automotive Gas Oil, popularly known as diesel, were confiscated in the apartment.
The Navy said three suspects, including the owner of the building, were arrested during the operation in connection with the illegal deal.
The Commander, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said this in Port Harcourt after leading a military team to the illegal refining site.
Igbo said, “My men at the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder, through credible intelligence, were able to discover this place. The whole of this compound is being used as an illegal refining site.
"You will recall that the Nigerian Navy, a few weeks ago, relaunched the third phase of 'Operation Delta Sanity', which is aimed at halting crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, and sanitising the region from the menace of illegal oil bunkering and other related activities.
“This illegally-refined product here is massive; some, it is bagged in sacks, some in drums and over 62 tanks are filled up.
“We have over 200, 000 litres of illegal products refined from crude oil siphoned or stolen from the pipelines. This is too bad; it is not good for our economy. This is pure economic sabotage.
“We have made arrests, the owner of this compound, being the person doing this illicit business, has been arrested with one of his boys. Efforts are still on to arrest everyone involved in this criminal act.
“The Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder is determined to apprehend them wherever they are, both in the water and on the land."
The NNS Pathfinder commander, who said the suspects would be handed over to prosecuting agencies, while the compound would be sealed till further notice, advised youths to shun being used as tools to sabotage the nation’s economy.
