TheNewsGuru

Tag: Oil Bunkering

  • Navy decries economic loss to illegal oil operations

    Navy decries economic loss to illegal oil operations

    The Navy has decried the magnitude of economic loss due to acts of illegal oil bunkering and vandalism of oil pipelines along the riverine communities of Nigeria.

    The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, Commodore Nanmar Lakan, cried out at Okolomade Community of Abua Odual Local Government Area of Rivers during a tour of sites with newsmen on Saturday.

    He said crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism should be stopped because of their negative economic impact on the nation.

    “It is not good for our economy, and it is not also good for the citizens. I appeal to these undesirable elements to look for other means of survival.

    “Stolen crude oil is causing problems everywhere. I assure them that my men and I will work day and night to ensure that this illegality stops,” he said.

    The naval officer disclosed that his men uncovered a large illegal site with three tanks used as storage points in Okolomade community.

    He said the saboteurs used the tanks as storage points for illegally refined AGO, commonly known as diesel.

    According to him, the products will be handed over to the appropriate authority that will do further investigation to ensure that illegality stops in Nigeria.

    He said under the mandate of both the Chief of Naval Staff and that of Operation Delta Safe, the NNS SOROH had continued to patrol areas within her operational responsibility.

    “I want to assure Nigerians to see and trust us; we will ensure that this illegality stops forthwith,” he said.

    Officials of the Navy arrested three persons conveying illegally refined products with tricycles along Okolomade community road.

    “With what we are seeing here, we are still pleading with perpetrators to desist from it.

    “I told them the last time that we are coming for them.

    “I want to assure them that the long arm of the law will continue to catch up with them, so it is my candid advice that stop this environmental pollution,” he said.

  • Northern forum describes oil bunkering as organised crime against Nigeria

    Northern forum describes oil bunkering as organised crime against Nigeria

    The Northern People’s Forum has described oil bunkering as an organised crime against Nigerians which needed to be checked.

    The Chairman of the forum, Mr Saidu Bello, made this known while addressing newsmen during a protest by the group on Monday in Abuja.

    He urged the Federal Government to sustain the engagement of Messrs Tantita Security Limited for the pipeline surveillance.

    He said they were at the Headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to protest the recent arrest of four of the personnel of the Tantita Security group by the Nigerian Navy.

    He said though the guards had been released, it would be counter productive to arrest personnel of a group working with security agencies deployed to protect the nation’s oil pipe lines against illegal activities, oil assets, including illegal refineries and insertions on oil pipelines.

    He called on President Bola Tinubu to sustain the engagement of Tantita Security agency by the NNPCL to continue to work with Nigeria security agencies towards protecting the nation’s wealth from being siphoned by few cartel working against the economic interest of the country.

    He said that the engagement of Tantita Security had yielded positive results as illegal oil vessels and their operators had been arrested and handed over to police for prosecution.

    He said that the NNPCL has also increase the number of her daily quota of barrels of crude oil being produced per day to meet benchmark approved by the OPEC.

    “In the past Tantita has been a surveillance group that has been given the contract to supervise the pipeline of this country.

    “They have been doing a good job, and I could even recall that several crude oil vessels has been arrested by Tantita and it was even appreciated by the government and NNPCL that contracted it.

    “They have been working to see that our pipelines are protected to reach the quota given to Nigeria to stabilise and move our economy forward in terms of economic development.

    “Oil sector is one of the very important sectors which has been bedeviled by bunkering and other forces coming within the domestic and international level.

    “So, it has become a cartel this country that bunkering is just been seen as illegitimate practice which we feel is a crime against the Nigerian humanity,” he said.

    He said that before now Nigeria was loosing over 700,000 barrels of crude oil every day, a situation that could not allow the country to meet its allotted daily OPEC quota.

    He said that such further triggered volatility in the nation’s fiscal and monetary sectors affecting our foreign reserve base and triggered declining spate of the Naira.

    He said that with the coming on board of Tantita Security group Nigeria is now able to meet the quota allotted to it by OPEC, producing about 1.4 million barrels of crude oil per day.

    “We demand for a new security template to include but not limited to pushing the Nigerian Navy in the oil rivers back to its primordial role in protecting interference in the nation’s marine blue line.

    “To effect arrest of illegal activities across the blue line that may emanate from inbound marine activities so as to allow other security agencies assigned to police the Nigeria waterways do their jobs,” Bello said.

  • Dozens killed as explosion rocks illegal crude bunkering site in Rivers

    Dozens killed as explosion rocks illegal crude bunkering site in Rivers

    Dozens of people have been killed by an explosion that occurred at a pipeline tapping point in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    Persons reported dead were said to be engaged in the business of illegal refining of stolen crude oil.

    Dozens killed as explosion rocks illegal crude bunkering site in Rivers

    The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), Fyneface Fyneface, confirmed the incident through the centre’s Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS).

    Fyneface said the explosion happened at about 2am on Friday when a driver kicked the ignition of one of the buses loaded with stolen crude oil.

    Dozens killed as explosion rocks illegal crude bunkering site in Rivers

    The bus was being used to transport the siphoned crude oil to the location of the illegal refineries.

    The explosion caused inferno that reportedly burnt dozens of people including women beyond recognition.

    The incident, which occurred along the Trans-Niger Delta Pipeline (TNP), also burnt many vehicles and tricycles to ashes.

    It was gathered that persons around the tapping point, who had either loaded the crude or waited for their turns were all killed by the explosion.

    Dozens killed as explosion rocks illegal crude bunkering site in Rivers

    Soldiers and police were said to have rushed to secure the scene.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that YEAC-Nigeria has been campaigning against crude oil theft, environmental pollution and leading the advocacy for the provision of alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta for the past 12 years through the promotion of modular refineries promised by the Federal Government.

    Rumuekpe is one of the oil producing communities in Niger Delta region of Nigeria and is noted for their peaceful coexisted and friendly relationship with their guests and neighbours.

    Suddenly, the communities were thrown into violence due to the inability of the community youth leadership to ensure the accountability of their government and operate all inclusive government, and insincerity in activities of the oil companies operating in Rumuekpe to effectively enforce community development programme in Rumuekpe.

    The unsatisfactory activities of the youth leadership resulted to agitation by some factions of the youths for a change of the youth leadership, coupled with the ill activities of the oil multinationals, the aggrieved youths were left with no option than to embark on intensive agitation for a change of youth leadership, and community development by oil multinationals.

  • Wike kicks as police deny preventing demolition of illegal refineries in Rivers

    Wike kicks as police deny preventing demolition of illegal refineries in Rivers

    The police command in Rivers has denied the report that its personnel prevented the destruction of an illegal oil bunkering site in the state.

    The command’s Acting Spokesman, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that policemen who visited the illegal refining site for operation were resisted.

    Iringe-Koko said that it was untrue that policemen prevented the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council from demolishing the refining site located at Ogbogoro community.

    She described the report as carried by a national newspaper as grossly misleading and untrue.

    According to her, the council chairman, Mr George Ariolu, actually visited the site with a detachment of policemen led by ACP Akika Solomon.

    She explained further that the chairman’s team was confronted and resisted by no fewer than 20 armed personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    ”The NSCDC personnel were violently opposed to the inspection of the depot. In the ensuing altercation, two NSCDC officials corked their rifles against the police.

    ”They were eventually disarmed and arrested by the police before Ariolu had access into the depot,” she stated.

    Iringi-Koko urged members of the public to disregard the report and appealed to journalists to thoroughly verify their facts before publication.

    ”We are fully committed to fighting the war against illegal oil bunkering to a logical conclusion,” she said.

    In his reaction, Mr Bature Aliyu, NSCDC Commandant in Rivers, dismissed claims that the site was used for illegal oil activities.

    ”The marine exhibit yard in Ogbogoro jetty is not an illegal bunkering site.

    ”It is a holding bay used by NSCDC to detain boats, vessels, barges and drums used for illegal oil bunkering,” he said.

    Aliyu, who spoke through the command’s Assistant Commandant of Corps, Michael Oguntuase, said that NSCDC’s Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, visited and endorsed the site in 2021.

    ”So, the yard is NSCDC’s marine exhibits yard and not an illegal dump.

    ”Most of the exhibits there were arrested by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to us, while some of the arrests were made by us.

    ”The Ogbogoro jetty is a no-go area for anybody because destroying the yard means destroying the exhibits,” he said.

    Aliyu urged members of the public to report any NSCDC personnel found culpable of oil theft, illegal bunkering and vandalism in the state.

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers had declared war on operators of illegal refineries and announced a reward of N2 million for each reported to authorities.

    Several suspects, including highly placed individuals have so far been arrested in the state by the police in connection with the illicit activities.

    Wike orders LGA Chairmen to destroy all illegal refinery sites in Rivers

    Meanwhile, Wike has ordered all the 23 Local Government Area Chairmen in the State to hire bulldozers and destroy every identified illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery sites.

    Wike gave the order on Wednesday in a statement issued to newsmen by Mr Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media, after meeting with the 23 Local Government Area Chairmen, the State Commissioner of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Port Harcourt.

    He also asked the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday, to provide adequate security for the local government area chairmen as they embark on the mass destruction of illegal refinery sites across the State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Gov. Wike issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 23 local government area chairmen on Jan. 14, to provide him a comprehensive list of all illegal refinery sites and their operators within their respective jurisdiction.

    Wike said with the receipt of the list of identified illegal refinery sites, the state government will provide financial support to the local government area chairmen to hire bulldozers and swamp buggies for the purpose of destroying all the sites.

    “I will not relent in this fight. And all of you should hire bulldozers. All those areas where the illegal refinery sites are in the bush, in the creek, clear the place. Government will give you some money to go and hire bulldozers to go and clear the sites so that they will know we are serious,” he said.

    According to the Governor, the government will not allow those engaged in illegitimate business to operate in Rivers State.

    “One thing I want to say and which is very clear, and like everybody knows, I am not against anybody making money. But, we cannot allow people to make money, while others are dying,” he stated.

    Wike acknowledged that since the State government intensified the fight against illegal refinery operators, who are primarily responsible for the discharge of impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, the air quality in parts of the state has improved remarkably.

    He said he is mindful that as the State government intensifies the war against illegal refinery activities, the cartel behind these illicit businesses will make effort to compromise unscrupulous security agents in the state.

    Wike warned that he will personally visit the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Chief of Army Staff in Abuja, to report any of their personnel implicated in illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery activities in the state.

    “You know in Nigeria, we don’t believe that anything can happen. We don’t take the government seriously, but in our own case, they have no choice, they’ll take us seriously,” he stated.

    The Governor said his administration cannot fold its arms and watch some deviant persons destroy the environment and health of the citizens while waiting for the Federal Government to come up with action to end the soot crisis in the oil-producing states.

  • Rivers: Wike orders LGA Chairmen to destroy all illegal refinery sites

    Rivers: Wike orders LGA Chairmen to destroy all illegal refinery sites

    Gov.Nyesom Wike of Rivers, has ordered all the 23 Local Government Area Chairmen to hire bulldozers and destroy every identified illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery sites in the state.

    Wike gave the order on Wednesday in a statement issued to newsmen by Mr Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media, after meeting with the 23 Local Government

    Area Chairmen, the State Commissioner of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Port Harcourt.

    He also asked the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday, to provide adequate security for the local government area chairmen as they embark on the mass destruction of illegal refinery sites across the State.

    Recalled that, Gov. Wike issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the 23 local government area chairmen on Jan. 14, to provide him a comprehensive list of all illegal refinery sites and their operators within their respective jurisdiction.

    Wike said with the receipt of the list of identified illegal refinery sites, the state government will provide financial support to the local government area chairmen to hire bulldozers and swamp buggies for the purpose of destroying all the sites.

    “I will not relent in this fight. And all of you should hire bulldozers. All those areas where the illegal refinery sites are in the bush, in the creek, clear the place. Government will give you some money to go and hire bulldozers to go and clear the sites so that they will know we are serious,” he said.

    According to the Governor, the government will not allow those engaged in illegitimate business to operate in Rivers State.

    “One thing I want to say and which is very clear, and like everybody knows, I am not against anybody making money. But, we cannot allow people to make money, while others are dying,” he stated.

    Wike acknowledged that since the State government intensified the fight against illegal refinery operators, who are primarily responsible for the discharge of impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, the air quality in parts of the state has improved remarkably.

    He said he is mindful that as the State government intensifies the war against illegal refinery activities, the cartel behind these illicit businesses will make effort to compromise unscrupulous security agents in the state.

    Wike warned that he will personally visit the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Chief of Army Staff in Abuja, to report any of their personnel implicated in illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refinery activities in the state.

    “You know in Nigeria, we don’t believe that anything can happen. We don’t take government seriously, but in our own case, they have no choice, they’ll take us seriously,” he stated.

    The Governor said his administration cannot fold its arms and watch some deviant persons destroy the environment and health of the citizens while waiting for the Federal Government to come up with action to end the soot crisis in the oil-producing states.

  • 3 feared dead, houses burnt as soldiers raid Imo community

    3 feared dead, houses burnt as soldiers raid Imo community

    No fewer than three persons were feared dead on Friday as soldiers raided Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

    It was gathered that many houses, including the palace of the traditional ruler of the Aborshi-Izombe community, Pius Muforo, were burnt down.

    Although the exact cause of the raid is still sketchy at the time of filing this report, it was, however, gathered that Izombe, Eziorsu and Osobod communities have been enmeshed in oil bunkering operations.

    Speaking on the development, a community leader from Umuokwu village, Mr James Imo, claimed that over 50 houses have been burnt down.

    “I was informed that two military men were killed and their vehicle set ablaze after the two military personnel had killed one young man, Chukwunonso Iherue, in Umuokwu-Izombe.

    “The problem arose from misunderstanding between the youth and soldiers over crude oil bunkering activities,” Imo said.

    He alleged that the angry youth fought back, overpowering the soldiers and as well took their guns and burnt their vehicle.

    Imo said the military personnel ran to the palace of the traditional ruler for refuge, but the angry youth stormed the palace, brought them out and killed them.

    However, NAN gathered that the traditional ruler’s palace and many other buildings at Umuokwu village in Izombe were allegedly burnt down in the crisis.

    Also, it was gathered that the incident led to a reinforcement of soldiers, who raided the area.

    Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said: “I am calling from inside a hideout in the bush now.

    “Some soldiers attacked our community in retaliation over 18 Hilux vans carrying petrol and three war tanks.

    “My cousin living next to our compound told me that her house was burnt down after which the soldiers went and burnt down Chief C.A. Onyeukwu’s building,” the source said.

    Efforts to get a confirmation of the incident from the Public Relations Officers of the Police and Nigeria Army proved abortive as they both declined comments on the incident.