Metro
LAGOS: Navy uncovers over N11m worth of stolen PMS in Akaraba Island
Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT have discovered an Island in Akaraba and Takwa Bay communities in Atlas Cove, Lagos, where vandals store siphoned petroleum products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipelines.
The Navy recovered 3,181 25 litre kegs laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) suspected to have been vandalised from NNPC pipelines at Akaraba Island.
During a raid of the island by naval operatives on July 4, the kegs containing PMS valued at N11. 5 million were uncovered where it was concealed in makeshift structures built about 200 metres away from Inegbe Resort.
Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima, made this disclosure while leading reporters to the island where the kegs were handed over to the NNPC.
He said: “On Thursday, July 4, at about 4pm, patrol team deployed at Atlas Cove Island conducted raids at Akaraba area based on available intelligence. The team discovered 3,181 of 25 litres jerry cans with products suspected to be PMS valued at about N11, 500,000.
READ ALSO: OIL THEFT: Navy destroys 50 illegal refineries
“It was further discovered that the products were sourced from several vandalised points on the NNPC pipeline on the Atlas Cove Island. The discovery of such large quantity of PMS is as a result of the navy’s aggressive patrols which has denied them the freedom of action.
“The Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas is determined to rid our waterways of all forms of criminality. The NNS BEECROFT is therefore committed to assisting NNPC and other agencies of government in dealing with the issue of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
“The Nigerian Navy uses this medium to warn pipeline vandals/thieves and other criminal elements, particularly in our maritime environment to desist from nefarious activities and pursue lawful means of livelihood. Otherwise, they will surely be brought to justice.
“I advise well-meaning citizens of the country to dissociate from illegality and give useful information to the Nigerian Navy or other security agencies on all forms of criminalities going on in their areas. The Nigerian Navy is ever focused and would continue to hunt these criminal elements and enemies of the nation.”
On the next line of action, Commodore Shettima said the navy would await the evacuation of the products by NNPC within a time frame before destroying all illegal structures on the island.
He said the kegs would have been destroyed and set ablaze but for the fact that the general area had combustible materials and would not encourage burning.
“We have about a thousand jerricans of the PMS here in Takwa Bay which were evacuated from Akaraba, while the ones you saw earlier are 2,181. The total is 3,181. At first, our men thought it was something they could evacuate but you have seen the difficulty of the terrain and the quantity of kegs.
“We have about nine vehicles here recovered from criminals. The last time we came here, there were about four vehicles now the number has increased.
“These are the kinds of challenges we face here but we are not relenting in our efforts to do away with this act of criminality.
“It is expected that when we hand over, the NNPC will evacuate all the products to their chosen location because the navy has to clear the whole area of illegal structures. They will have to give me a specific date that they would have completely evacuated the products,” he said.
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