The Nigerian Army said troops of the 6th Division burst a carefully concealed illegal oil bunkering site in Umuedeokwara Community, Odogwa Town, in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Acting Deputy Director of 6th Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, stated this in a statement on Thursday.
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He said the discovery was made while conducting clearance operations, following credible intelligence on the activities of criminals at the site.
According to him, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation DELTA SAFE, Major General Jamal Abdusalam, visited the location to see for himself the magnitude of the criminalities going on in the area.
According to the statement, the GOC was amazed during his visit following the level of criminality at the site.
“We are here to let Nigerians know what is happening here. In fact, even if you use the air, like a helicopter or drone, you won’t be able to see what we saw on the ground
“We have discovered so many illegalities taking place here. We have seen reservoirs and boilers with a network of pipes and cables, amongst others,” it said.
The Division, he said, will ensure that the Federal Government gets what is due to it to take care of the citizens, just as he reiterated that the budget of the nation is dependent on many factors, including crude oil production. Hence, any drop in production affects the economy of the nation.
The GOC further affirmed that a total of 19 reservoirs, with each containing a minimum of 200,000 litres of crude, translating to over 3,000,000 litres, were discovered.
He lamented the level at which individuals get involved in crimes that have huge implications for the national economy.
Abdussalam used the medium to warn the perpetrators of these crimes to turn a new leaf and embrace legitimate businesses to earn a legitimate livelihood or face the full wrath of the law.