The Nigerian Navy says it has uncovered and dismantled 16 illegal refineries with the capacity to refine 9.6 million litres of crude oil around Elem-Krakama community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to a statement, the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, made the discovery on Wednesday, April 3.
The Navy said 14 suspects, including a woman, were arrested at the illegal refining site.
The suspects allegedly attached 14 inches pipe to siphon over 210 metric tonnes of crude oil from wellhead 15 within OML18 operated by NNPC Ltd.
The Commander NNS Pathfinder, Commodore DOC Igbo stated, “We uncovered 16 cooking pots within this illegal refining site and each of them contains about 600 thousand litres, which is quite huge.
“They were tapping right from the oil wellhead belonging to NNPC Ltd.”
He added, “I have talked with their leaders, paramount chiefs and their community leaders, but it seems they are not relenting and we will not relent too.
“The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has mandated us and we are not deterred.”
The Navy said the 14 suspects were handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for prosecution on Thursday, April 4.