The Nigerian Navy has arrested an unspecified number of pipeline vandals in the Niger Delta.
The Director of Information of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, said in a statement on Tuesday that the Navy also recovered a pirate vessel, MT Dejikun, alleged to have been used by the hoodlums to hijack MT Maximus four months ago.
The Naval spokesman added that the operatives of the service carried out a raid at Ogbeh-Ijoh community, Warri, Delta state and destroyed an illegal refinery in the area.
According to him, the Navy also destroyed one Cotonou boat which contained ’50 metric tonnes of stolen crude and metal tanks containing illegal refined AGO.
Ezekobe said that no suspect was arrested as the culprits fled the scene before the arrival of the naval team.
“The Nigerian Navy has not rested on its oars. More pipeline vandals have been arrested; the Nigerian Navy has also recovered suspected pirates’ vessel four months after pirates hijacked an oil tanker, MT MAXIMUS; the navy has recovered the pirate vessel MT DEJIKUN used by suspected pirates.
“In another development, NNS DELTA carried out a raid within its area of responsibility.
“In the raid which was carried out at Ogbe-Igoh community in Warri, Delta State, the Nigerian Navy team destroyed an illegal refinery site and one Cotonou boat containing about 50MT of stolen crude oil and 6 X 15 metal tanks containing illegal refined AGO.
“No suspect was apprehended as they fled the site before the arrival of the Nigerian Navy patrol team,” the statement read.
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