The Nigerian Air Force, on Wednesday, said its personnel attached to Operation Delta Safe destroyed barges loaded with stolen crude oil products.
The service also said several illegal oil refining sites at Bille, Dariama, Elem Bekinkiri, Temakiri, Opumakiri, and Degema in Rivers State were destroyed during operations conducted between March 25 and 26.
The NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, in a statement, said a barge laden with illegally-refined crude oil was spotted at Bille and bombed, while at Dariama and Tumakiri, active illegal refining sites with reservoirs and cooking pots were destroyed.
The PUNCH reports that air operations conducted by personnel of the NAF led to the destruction of four illegal oil refining sites in Rivers State on March 3, 2024.
The destroyed illegal oil refining sites were at Krakama, Temakiri, Abisse, and Omoma.
Gabkwet said, “The Air Component of Operation Delta Safe has continued to carry out air strikes on illegal oil refining sites and barges laden with stolen crude oil products in the Niger Delta region.
“The sites and barges destroyed were discovered between March 25 and 26, 2024 at Bille, Dariama, Elem Bekinkiri, Temakiri, Opumakiri, and Degema in Rivers State.
“At Bille, a barge filled with illegally refined products was observed meandering through the creeks and subsequently struck. At Dariama and Tumakiri, active illegal refining sites with reservoirs and cooking pots were identified to be active and subsequently engaged and destroyed.
“Illegal oil refining sites at Elem Bekinkiri and Opumakiri were, however, observed to consist of abandoned IRS.
‘’At Degema, several active illegal refining sites with reservoirs filled with illegally refined products were observed and engaged accordingly, setting them ablaze.’’
Gabkwet lamented that some of the illegal refining sites at Bille and Dariama had been destroyed in the past but were reactivated.
He said, “The NAF and other security agencies will continue to intensify efforts at discovering and disrupting the activities of the oil thieves operating in the region and beyond.”