Men of the Nigerian Navy (NNS) Jubilee Ikot Abasi, in Akwa Ibom, said it had destroyed 21,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The products were destroyed at Ubenikang in Ibeno local government area of the state when a naval anti-thief operation raided a hideout of criminals in the area.
According to the NNS Jubilee’s Commander Commodore David Adeniran, four standard pumping machines and two submersible pumps were also recovered at the scene during the raid of the oil thieves’ hideout by Navy.
Commodore Adeniran explained that the action taken by the Navy was in confirmation of the Navy’s total war against illegal oil thieves in the state.
He warned perpetrators of illegal oil bunkering and other related criminalities within the shorelines and creeks in Ibeno to steer clear, saying there is no way they would escape the sledge hammer of the government.
Commodore Adeniran also expressed the readiness of the Navy in tackling the challenges in the maritime environment.
He said: “The measure to be taken in curbing the activities of illegal bunkering operators and other related criminalities is not for the Navy alone. We are going to work as usual in conjunction with other security agencies as well as communities in which we operate. We would continue to work together to ensure that their activities are checked.
“We have warned the perpetrators in several occasions to desist from illegal bunkering as well as other related criminalities and venture into other productive businesses.
The naval commander, who also bemoaned the activities of the oil bunkerers, said their activities were causing environmental hazard and economic sabotage to the nation.