According to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), multiple illicit oil refinery facilities and barges carrying stolen crude oil products have been destroyed throughout Rivers by the air component of “Operation Delta Safe.”
The locations and barges destroyed were found between Monday and Tuesday at Bille, Dariama, Elem Bekinkiri, Temakiri, Opumakiri, and Degema, all in Rivers, according to a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja by AVM Edward Gabkwet, Director, NAF, Public Relations and Information.
He said he saw a barge at Bille wandering through the streams carrying illicit refined items, and that’s when it was struck.
According to Gabkwet, active illegal refining facilities with cooking pots and reservoirs were found at Dariama and Tumakiri. These sites were then taken down.
However, it was noted that abandoned IRS were present in illegal oil processing sites at Elem Bekinkiri and Opumakiri.
Several active illicit refining operations at Degema were spotted, and as a result, reservoirs full of illegally refined products were engaged with and set ablaze.
It is important to remember that some of the illicit refining facilities at Bille and Dariama were previously demolished and then rebuilt.
He declared, “As a result, the NAF and other security agencies will keep up their increased efforts to find and disrupt the operations of the oil thieves operating in the region and beyond.”