TheNewsGuru

Tag: NNS

  • Joint Task Force destroys over 300 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

    Joint Task Force destroys over 300 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

    Rear Adm. Apochi Suleiman, the Commander, Joint Task Force codenamed: “Operation Delta Safe” (OPDS) says no fewer than 300 illegal refineries have been destroyed in the ongoing operation.

    Suleiman made this known to newsmen on Wednesday at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), Warri Naval base.

    He said that a suspected militant and member of a “kill and bury” gang identified as Gift Apollo, who allegedly killed a soldier in August was also apprehended during the operations.

    The task force commander said that the operation tagged: “OPERATION 777” was launched by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin on Oct. 10 and accordingly activated by the OPDS.

    Suleiman said that it was to further reinvigorate the operations of the task force to disrupt activities of the criminal elements ahead of the yuletide and the 2019 general elections.

    The commander said the “OPERATION 777” had made remarkable achievement in meeting its objectives.

    “Cases of illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and associated criminalities do increase during major festivities and election years.

    “This necessitated the launching of `OPERATION 777’ by the CDS and activated by the OPDS.

    “The `OPERATION 777’ has made huge achievement as over 300 illegal refineries, 156 locally manufactured boats, 1,085 surface tanks have been destroyed.

    “Additionally, 15 barges, 10 tanker trucks, 31 vehicles, 45 speed boats, 16 outboard engines, 41 pumping machines, 15 generating sets and 76 other items have been impounded.

    “It is also worthy to mention that six different types of arms and over 100 items of munitions were recovered during the period in focus.

    “Importantly, a wanted militant and member of `kill and bury’ gang named Gift Apollo was arrested during the operations.

    “The group was responsible for the attack and death of our soldier deployed in Abua/Odua sometime in August,” he said.

    Suleiman said that the JTF also conducted anti-illegal bunkering/anti-illegal refining operations at Okaki Community in Bayelsa in which over 100 reservoirs and an estimated 210 metric tonnes of Automated Gasoline Oil were destroyed.

    He also said that the JTF rescued seven Nigerians maintenance workers of Agip Oil Company who were kidnapped by gunmen on Oct. 5 in Azuzuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

    “OPERATION 777 is simultaneously conducted with OPERATION CROCODILE SMILE 3.

    “We are collaborating and sharing actionable intelligence as both operation is meant to curb criminal activities in the Niger Delta,” he said.

    Suleiman called on the law abiding citizens in the region to go about their legitimate businesses, assuring them that the JTF would continue to protect them and the environment.

     

  • Navy destroys 1500 illegal refineries in Delta

    The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta has destroyed about 1500 illegal refineries with swamp buggy in the Delta creeks in the last two months.

    The Commander of the ship, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, disclosed this to newsmen in Warri on Wednesday.

    Swamp buggy is an amphibious vehicle used to traverse a swampy terrain.

    Dewu said the destruction exercise was carried out in the creeks of Otumara, Ogbegugu, Okpuku in the Warri creeks.

    He added that personnel of the command were currently on the Bennett Island in Warri South Local Government Area of the state in continuation of the exercise.

    He said that the perpetrators had devised means of preventing the soldiers and the swamp buggy from gaining access to the sites by blocking the entrances with logs or setting fire around the sites.

    The commander, however, said their antics would not deter the soldiers from carrying out their statutory obligation of completely eradicating illegalities in the maritime domain.

    “It takes us time to remove the logs for our men and the swamp buggy to have access but we are determined,” he said.

    He said the criminals’ activities were also contributing to the degradation of the ecosystem.

    “The antics of the criminal elements will not deter us from eradicating the illegality with the aide of swamp buggy which I believe will bring a lasting solution to economic sabotage.

    ” We decided to apply swamp buggy because it is more environment friendly and difficult for the perpetrators to resuscitate the illicit business since their facilities are also crushed completely in the process.

    “Apart from that, we also do post-monitoring of the various sites we have destroyed to ensure that the criminals do not return to reactivate them.

    “So far, the exercise has been successful and we will not rest on our oars until the illegalities are completely eradicated in our maritime domain,” he said.

    In one of the operations on Bennett Island on June 12, the perpetrators set fire around the vicinity of the illegal refinery to prevent the soldiers from entering.

    The navy personnel then created alternative means for themselves, journalists and the swamp buggy to gain access and therefore, crushed the criminals’ equipment amid thick smoke and rain.

     

  • EFCC commences investigation of 16 Ukrainian suspected oil thieves

    Sixteen Ukrainians suspected to be oil thieves are now being investigated by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    TheNewsGuru gathers the foreigners are being investigated alongside a vessel: MT SAN PADRE PIO with registration number IMO 9610339 NT 2444, handed over to it by the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operations Base, FOB Bonny, Rivers State.

    TheNewsGuru reports the suspects were arrested on 23 January, 2018 by the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS SAGBAMA’s patrol team deployed for anti-crude oil theft and illegal bunkering operations around Odudu terminal in Port Harcourt.

    The suspects are Vaskov Andriy, Garchev Mykhaylo, Shulga Vladyslav, Orlovkyi Ivan, Skoropupov Andrii, Nadaraia Leonid, Vorohin Andriy, Buriak Maskym, Skok Sergiy, Yakovenko Sergiy, Boiachuk Roman, Shakov Vladyslav, Serebriakov Olehshii, Tsuekanenko Gennadiy, Diachenko Dmytro and Postoiuk Sergii.

    Navy Captain S. W. Olurundare, who handed over the suspects to the EFCC, said that they were arrested for allegedly operating illegally in Nigerian waters against the provisions of Nigerian Cabotage Trade Law.

    The suspects would soon be charged to court when investigations are concluded, the EFCC said in a statement.

     

  • Nigerian, 9 foreigners arrested for crude oil theft in Delta

    Nigerian, 9 foreigners arrested for crude oil theft in Delta

    The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), DELTA said it has nabbed 10 suspected oil thieves on board MT TECNE Vessel in Delta.

    The Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, disclosed while parading the suspects at Focados River, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta on Wednesday.

    The suspects are one Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanians, one Indonésian, one Béninois and two Ukrainians.

    Dewu said that the suspects were caught in the early hours of Tuesday while siphoning crude oil into the vessel from Afremo A platform, a loading jacket belonging to the Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC) in Forcados River.

    According to him, they had siphoned about 2000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the loading jacket before they were caught.

    “Based on intelligence report, at about 02:50am on April 25, 2017, MT Tecne (registered in Panama), was apprehended by NNS Delta patrol team with 10 crew onboard.

    “They are one Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanians, one Indonésian, one Béninois and two Ukrainians, the Nigerian among them is the Chief Officer while the Captain is a Pakistani.

    ”This vessel has been around our water, what they do is that they go into the high sea during the day, they come late night and connect to the Jacket and syphon crude oil.

    “We have been trailing them for three days, this is the forth night and the vessel is fully ladened with illegal crude oil and this is what they keep doing,” he said.

    The Commander said that the feat was the outcome of the ongoing “Operation Delta Safe Operation River Sweep Two and Operation Tsare Teku” mandates of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).

    He said that the navy would continue to check illegalities in the nation`s maritime domain He advised oil companies owning loading jackets to keep constant watch on their platforms.

    “Most of the oil companies have service boats, so they should make it a point of duty to keep watching these jackets both day and night,” he said.

    Dewu said that the suspects and the vessel would be handed over to the prosecuting agency after investigations.

    One of the suspects, a Nigerian, said he joined the TECNE company in 2016 adding that he was directed by one Mr Victor to load crude oil from the jacket. The captain of the Ship, said he was not aware that their action was illegal.

    “We came to load here, I don’t know it is unofficial, I don’t know it is illegal bunkering, we load at night for three days.This is my first time,” he said.