Security agents discover 23 illegal refineries In Anambra

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Maj. Gen Ashimiyu Olaniyi, has confirmed the discovery of 23 illegal refineries on the River Niger coastline at Ogbakuba Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The discovery was made during a joint operation carried out by the Nigerian Army and the Navy.

The GOC, while speaking on the development on Monday, expressed surprise at the level of illicit activities on the River Niger, stressing that the army would not rest in its efforts towards fighting illegal refineries and bunkering activities within the South-East and South-South.

He said: "Chief of Army Staff has directed that this activities and other crimes within the coastline and creeks of the River Niger must be stopped.

"The Nigerian Army will not rest in its duties to put an end to bunkering. And there will be zero tolerance of such activities and other crimes committed in the River Niger and its creeks".

Earlier, Lt Col. Bayode Adetoro, the Commanding Officer, 14 Field Engineers' Regiment, Onitsha, who led the operations, said that the feat was achieved through the strategic mandate of the engineers' regiment and assistance of the navy.



According to him: "Engineer- soldiers from 14 Field Engineers' Regiment were on patrol, yesterday, at about 4 pm around Atani area and they intercepted a boat that was about to sink.

"They tried to rescue the boat, to salvage the boat; but it went down.
"When it sank, we called the navy to assist us, but it was late in the night. We decided that we start the clean-up in the morning on its recovery.

"By the time we got there this morning, most of the drums were gone; so we decided to search the entire area, and in the process of searching, we discovered these refineries".