Army Destroys illegal Crude Oil Refinery In Abia

Personnel of the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia attached to the 144 Battalion Headquarters in Ukwa West local government area of Abia State have destroyed an illegal crude oil refinery situated in Ukwa East Local.

Our correspondent gathered that the illegal refinery was operated by a crude oil syndicate operating between Abia and Rivers State.

Sources within the 14 Brigade told our correspondent that no arrest was made and also confirmed the confiscation and subsequent destruction of two commercial L300 buses, waterproofs containing unrefined crude and the tanks used in the cooking of illegal crude oil stolen from NNPC pipeline within the area.

The sources disclosed that the operation leading to the destruction of the illegal bunker was conducted in conjunction with the operatives of the Department for State Security (DSS) in Owaza, Ukwa West LGA.

They added; “We got a hint about the activities of an illegal crude oil syndicate operating between Abia and Rivers State.

“From our intelligence, we tracked them to the Nkali community in Rivers State where we discovered their illegal refining camp.

“No arrest was made. The place is swampy. What happened is that they first sighted us and took to their heels and because the place is swampy, it was difficult for us to chase after them.”

-NATION