Navy destroys N100m stolen petroleum products
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The
Nigerian Navy in Calabar, Cross River State has destroyed about 1, 000
drums containing diesel and petrol worth over N100m allegedly siphoned
from pipelines and stored in two warehouses in Ikang, headquarters of
Bakassi Local Government Area.
One of the warehouses on the premises of
Mic Akodof Nigeria Limited filing station, which is a few metres away
from the temporary secretariat of the Bakassi LGA, incidentally has a
checkpoint mounted by soldiers in front of it.
During the burning of the products, some Ikang youths protested, saying bunkering was their only way of surviving.
But the Commanding Officer, Nigeria Navy
Ship Victory, Commodore Kingdom Itoko, who led the operation, on Friday
said the Bakassi environment had become notorious for illegal
bunkering, sea piracy, armed robbery and other economic sabotage.
Itoko
said it was sad that some people engaged in economic sabotage, adding
that having over 1,000 drums containing petrol and diesel illegally
siphoned was inimical to the country’s economic development.
He added that the navy was ready to put
to an end such illegal activities in compliance with the Chief of
Defence Staff’s directive.
He regretted that some people were still
indulging in bunkering despite the fact that Governor Liyel Imoke had
on May 24, 2012, led a major operation that led to the arrest of some
suspects and seizure of petroleum products.
“As the Commander of the naval base,
NNS Victory, I am acting on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff that
advised us to burn any illegal product discovered. Illegal bunkering in
Nigeria is like piracy and other criminal activities,” he said.
Apart from a 20-year-old security man at the filing station, Aliu Isah, no other arrest was made.
Itoko, who expressed his disappointment
that such an illegal operation was going on opposite an army post, said
the owner of the filling station would soon be arrested.
He described the presence of the
security operatives opposite the crime scene as “a clear conspiracy and
connivance with security agencies and other constituted authorities.”
Itoko said his team would not rest until
the place was rid of illegal activities, noting that “this is the first
stage to show our level of seriousness. We will enter the sea, but the
activities are done in the night but the navy under me doesn’t have the
facilities to patrol the sea in the night.”
But one of the protesting youths, Etete
Simeon, said, “They carried us and sold to us to Cameroon, this is the
only business we have here, we are hungry, we are not happy. They should
give us work.
“Cameroon gendarmes are not allowing us
to fish, they maltreat us, and now government is maltreating us. The
youth of this community are suffering. They have given out our oil
wells.”
