Air operations conducted by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force have led to the destruction of four illegal oil refining sites in Rivers State.
While the illegal oil refining sites located at Krakama and Temakiri in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers were said to be active, the sites located at Abisse and Omoma were abandoned.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, Cotonou Boats were at the active illegal refining sites to load crude oil.
Gabkwet said the sites and boats were bombed during the operations conducted on March 1.
The statement read, “In continuation of efforts to reduce to the barest minimum the activities of crude oil thieves and oil pipeline vandals, the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, on 1 March 2024, destroyed illegal oil refining sites at Krakama and Temakiri in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. Both locations are barely 50 km Southwest of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
“At both Krakrama and Temakiri, active illegal oil refining sites were observed with Cotonou Boats sighted nearby with the probable intent to illegally siphon crude oil from the sites. The 2 Illegal sites, as well as the boats, were subsequently struck, engulfed in flames, and destroyed. The armed reconnaissance was also extended to Abisse and Omoma, but only abandoned illegal refining sites were observed.”
Gabkwet vowed that the service in collaboration with other security agencies would not continue the onslaught on oil thieves until the scourge is eradicated.
“Efforts to rid the Niger Delta region of the activities of oil thieves by the NAF and other security agencies remain on course and will continue until total success is achieved,” he said.
The Air Force operations at the Krakama and Temakiriin illegal refining sites in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State came two months after a similar operation was carried out at the Opu Arugbana area of the same LGA in December 2023.
In the operation, six illegal oil refining sites were destroyed.
