In the two-day
operation, the team moved from one location to the other, destroying the
illegal refineries in the three contiguous states.
Ajube, popularly
known as ‘Shoot-at-sight’ had taken reporters round the various illegal
oil refineries in the area and the barges being used to scoop crude from
vandalized pipes, which were seized by his firm, Gallery Security
Services Limited.
But on Friday and
Saturday, soldiers from the 19th Battalion in Okitipupa and Naval
officers from the Forward Operation Base at Igbokoda started a massive
destruction of the illegal facilities in collaboration with Ajube’s
security outfit.
Aside the oil
refineries burnt down by the team, the team set ablaze 18 local boats
and nine barges being used by the suspected vandals to carry out their
nefarious activities.
The operation which
lasted about six hours on each day, took the security operatives to the
creeks of Dababilebu, Akitogbo, Adiloseimo, Obontonu and Akina-Zion
communities where the facilities were sighted.
Residents of the
areas lamented that the hoodlums had with their illegal activities
polluted their water and that they now travel several kilometres before
they could get fresh water to drink and cook.
They also complained
that kerosene produced from the illegal refineries had led to the
destruction of many lives and property in the area because of its crude
means of processing which made it highly inflammable.
One of the victims,
who is a fisherman, Mr. Aprebisekumo Epijowori, told the JTF team at
Akina zion that the locally produced kerosene was responsible for the
burns all over his body which had paralyzed one of his legs.
He commended Ajube
and the JTF team for their efforts at ridding his areas of oil thieves
and pledged to offer instant information whenever the criminals decide
to resume their operations.
Ajube, who gave
N200, 000 instantly to Epijowori to seek medical treatment, appealed to
residents of the area to cooperate with the JTF and his security outfit,
to rid the areas of oil thieves.
A senior Army
officer who led the operation, commended Ajube’ security outfit for its
relentless efforts at ridding the Niger Delta areas of all forms of
criminal activities.
His words “Without
the support of the Gallery Security Services, the operation of the JTF
would not have been successful because it was the firm that discovered
the illegal refineries, the boats and barges being used by the criminals
to carry out their acts”
The Army officer
promised that the exercise would be a continuous one and vowed that the
task force would not stop until the Nigerian water ways and pipelines
are safe for legitimate businesses.
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