Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER on Saturday 17 August 2024 led by Commodore Cajethan Aniaku discovered a massive illegal refining site along Ogoloma-Bakana water way in Rivers State. The site was discovered after sustained intelligence and surveillance efforts.
It was apparent that the perpetrators were using drums to refine stolen crude oil into Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and other byproducts, a method that offers the oil thieves a tactical advantage due to the ease of construction and dismantling of the drums. As at press time, NNS PATHFINDER had already destroyed over 500 cooking drums containing a large amount of illegal refined AGO.
Commodore Aniaku stated that in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla’s directive to rid the Niger Delta perpetrators of crude oil theft, NN personnel will not rest until all criminal elements are brought to justice