The Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and the Special Prosecution Task Force (SPT) of the Federal Government have joined hands to expose 2 illegal refining sites in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State.
The sites operating under the cover of a logistics company, Emekus Nigeria Ltd, and a faceless but massive piggery, were both exposed to be active illegal sites for refining several litres of stolen petroleum products.
Emekus Nigeria Limited is situated at the Umuebule axis of Oyigbo, while the piggery was found at a remote axis east of the bank of the Imo River. Bags of stolen crude awaiting refining, three tanks of various capacities, and a 33,000-litre truck, among others, were discovered at Emekus Nigeria Limited.
Very mature pigs and piglets were spotted at the piggery, a location that also accommodated a fish pond. The part of the farm filled with overgrown grass had been turned into a crude oil cooking site, and the pigs were seen crying for food after the owners of the farm ran off to evade arrest.
As the sites were getting inspected by the Head of Investigation Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Hydrocarbon Sector, CSP Omar Sini, a suspect, who appeared to be the farm manager, was seen escaping as the team approached.
Detailing the discovery, Andrew Ebikeme of PINL said, “This is an illegal refining site with products from stolen crude. The area was discovered using intelligence information provided by PINL community based surveillance guards.
We came here and what we saw was mind blowing. As you can see, this is supposed to be a logistics base but behind we have this illegal activity going on. Right now this has been confiscated by the special prosecution team.”
According to him, PINL established a solid relationship with the SPT and all other stakeholders, emphasising the need for a joint effort to protect Nigeria’s oil assets.
CSP Omar Sini stated that 3 suspects, one woman and her 2 accomplices, were apprehended and are set to face prosecution as soon as the investigation is wrapped up.
Revealing that about 108 suspects were already remanded across the Niger Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, he stressed that the SPT has aided the conviction of 2 Nigerians, with 38 active cases at trial and investigation levels.
CSP Omar Sini disclosed that 60,000 litres of stolen products were discovered in sacks at Emekus Nigeria Limited.
Confirming that the SPT busted the piggery after gathering legit intelligence information from PINL, he noted that its location was so hidden that it took a drone to spot it.
