From Jessica Tamaraduoye, Niger Delta

In a recent raid by operatives of the anti illegal oil bunkering unit of the military Joint Task Force (Operation Pulo Shield), 10 persons have been arrested and 23 illegal refinery camps located in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, destroyed.

According to a press statement issued and signed by the JTF spokesman, Mustapha Anka, a lieutenant colonel, items recovered at the sites in Delta State includes 750 drums filled with substance suspected to be stolen crude oil, 57 Large metal tanks filled with illegally refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) and 48 cooking ovens.

Other items includes 48 dug out pits filled with crude oil, 16 pumping machines, 35 surface tanks, four welding machines and several illegal oil bunkering hoses.

Anja said both the refineries and the items have been destroyed.

In a related development, troops of Operation Thunderstorm in Orhionmwon area of Edo State, working in conjunction with the Petroleum Pipeline Management Cooperation, PPMC, while on patrol, discovered several illegal crude oil refineries in the area.

Four suspects were also arrested at the illegal bush refinery sites.

‎It was gathered that the suspects were arrested at Ugbakea community while driving in a Toyota car with registration number Delta SAP 589 AA, loaded with substances suspected to be petroleum products.

The sites of the illegal activity have since been destroyed and the suspects handed over to the JTF for preliminary investigation after which they would be handed over to the prosecuting agency.

Also, troops of Sector 2 of the JTF deployed at Abua/Odua in Rivers State, have intercepted a boat carrying 50 drums laden with substances suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

The operatives intercepted the boat while on patrol along Oganikom waterside of the state, while the culprit fled into the bush on sighting troops.

Items recovered during the raid include empty wooden boats, two metal tanks filled with substance suspected to be illegally refined products and 45 metal drums loaded with crude oil.

The boat and the items together with the product were destroyed in line with the task force’s mandate.