The fight against illegal refining of petroleum products in the South-South geopolitical zone is gaining more momentum as the Joint Tasks Force, Operation Delta Safe, has destroyed 35 illegal refining pots at two separate camps at Samkiri in Rivers State.
The journey to these illegal refining sites which still has unrefined crude oil flowing unrestrained into holes in the ground took about 50 minutes from Port Harcourt Navy Ship yard in a speed boat to Samkiri.
The Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Adetokun Siyanbade, led other military personnel and journalists to the scene.
On arrival, the absence of healthy vegetation was glaring. The first site which was opposite the Samkiri community has makeshift tents where the perpetrators of this illegal refining site reside.
Upon inspection, the pots were still very hot and smoky, indicating that illegal refining was ongoing before the perpetrators fled the site.
The crude used was said to be gotten from a vandalised crude oil pipeline as the camp was situated close to two crude oil pipelines.
The recent successes achieved by the South-South component of the Joint Taskforce will definitely impact positively on the fight against crude oil theft in the nation.
