Navy destroys 1000 illegal refineries in 9 months; Customs intercepts smuggled bullet proof vehicle in Kaduna

By Desmond Ejibas

The Nigerian Navy said it had destroyed over 1,000 illegal refineries and arrested several suspected oil thieves  in the Niger Delta between January and September.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, disclosed this while on inspection tour of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder and other naval formations in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Ibas described “the huge figure” as worrisome, especially as government was creating enabling environment to address the root causes of criminality in the area.

According to him, the fight against oil theft, sea piracy and pipeline vandalism is the collective responsibility of governments, communities and other stakeholders.

“The Federal Government is doing so much to provide the enabling environment to tackle criminal elements – which in spite the efforts, criminals still carry out their operations.

“State Governments and Local Governments must also contribute toward empowering most of the youths, so that they will not go into criminality.

“In 2017 alone, between January and September, the navy shut down over a thousand illegal refineries that cost nothing less than N5 million to set up, excluding the boats and other assets.

“This is worrisome because aside the economic loses, the illegal refineries have degraded the environment which affects the lives of citizens and even those yet unborn.

“The earlier the host communities understand that current degradation of the environment is posing serious challenge now and in the future – the better for the system,” the chief of naval staff said.

Ibas said that among measures put in place by the navy to reduce effects of the destruction of illegal refineries on the environment was the use of “Swamp Buggy” machines.

He said the swamp buggy machines completely crushed the metallic tanks, thereby slowing down capacity of the operators to revive the illegal refineries.

He said the navy had intensified its intelligence gathering with intent to pre-empt oil thieves from identifying and mobilising to sites.

“On piracy, we have intensified our presence at sea by inducting various vessels into our operations – with focus to containing activities of sea pirates.

“In October, we registered seven cases of piracy with six contained by troops. Midway into November, we have successfully contained two cases while some of the pirates were arrested.

“Pirates don’t live at sea; they live in the communities, and, as such, we encourage all stakeholders to avail security agencies with information about these criminal elements,” he said.

Ibas said the navy had built about 1,000 housing units to address accommodation deficit in its formations and units across the country.

He promised that more residential blocks would be built to accommodate 4,500 personnel that the navy recruited in the last two years.

Meanwhile, the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized a bullet proof vehicle imported into the country illegally.

The Area Controller of the zone, Usman Dakingari, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna that the vehicle had no end user certificate.

He explained that such vehicles are only imported with the permission of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Once you import a bullet proof vehicle which is a security vehicle through the ports legally, you are expected to have and end user permit which shows that the vehicle will be used normally.

“An end user certificate is only issued by the NSA,’’ Dakingari added.

The controller disclosed that the unit had also seized a trailer conveying illicit drugs along Lokoja expressway in Kogi, and another trailer conveying smuggled rice on Kano-Zaria road.

He added that another vehicle containing bales of second hand clothes was also apprehended by the unit.

“The information about the contraband and illicit drugs was gotten from the service intelligence unit and concerned individuals.

“The seizures were made by roving patrol officers; we accosted the trailer conveying the illicit drugs along Lokoja expressway and our suspicion became right.

“We saw some cartons of tramadol and Viagra in the other trailer, but we have not yet verified the total number and the efficacy and production method of the enhancers.’’

The controller stated that the intercepted drugs would be handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation.

On the seized rice, Dakingari said it was found covered by bags of beans in the seized trailer.

“We know the policy of the Federal Government concerning imported rice. Government wants the country to be sufficient in local rice production.

“Yet the smugglers keep bringing in foreign rice, thereby sabotaging government efforts.

“We seized the vehicle with foreign rice packed in 100kg local bags with other 50kg empty foreign bags kept aside with the intent of re-bagging them on arrival.’’

NAN reports that the FOU Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service covers 10 states across the North including the Federal Capital Territory.