A naval drone has discovered an illegal refining site with 300,000 litres of diesel and a large wooden boat containing 314 barrels of crude oil in Cawthorne channel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The site was consequently deactivated by personnel of the Nigerian Navy ship, Pathfinder.

Disclosing this in Abuja on Friday at a briefing on the ongoing military operations across the country, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, stated that the troops also dismantled another illegal refining site at Bille creek.

He said, “The Nigerian Navy ship, Pathfinder,  in conjunction with Forward Operating Base Bonny located an illegal refining site at Bille creek with one tarpaulin and two metal reservoirs with about 60,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 125.7 barrels of product suspected to be stolen crude oil. The storage facilities and product were dismantled while the site was deactivated.”

Enenche said on July 20, the Nigerian Navy ship, Delta team, intercepted two large wooden boats laden with about 40,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined diesel stored in polythene bags along Aladja creek, adding that the boats and contents were recovered to the base.

He noted, “Following closely, operations Calm waters and Swift response on July 18 impounded petroleum products as well as arrested boats involved in illegal activities.

“Furthermore, within the week,  Forward Operating Base Escravos patrol team intercepted a wooden boat without engine along with Madangho creek Warri South West LGA of Delta State. The boat, which contained an unquantified product suspected to be illegally refined AGO, was dismantled.”

According to him, the team proceeded to Jones Creek general area where another wooden boat without engine laden with about 345.94 barrels of product suspected to be stolen crude oil was discovered and intercepted.

In the North-west zone, the media coordinator said several civil-military cooperation projects under the Defence Headquarters were inaugurated, including boreholes in Guma LGA of Benue State; one block of five classrooms renovated in Kpasho village and a borehole each at Nkindero village in Irigwe and Gagaule village, a Fulani community, all in Bassa LGA of Plateau State.