JTF raids community shrine depot used for illegal bunkering

JTF raids community shrine depot used for illegal bunkering

Posted on 04th Jul 2013 under STATE NEWS.

Egbokodo-Itsekiri  was thrown into confusion, as Joint Task Force (JTF) stormed  the community  were illegal Bunkering takes place,  right behind Warri Refinery Petroleum Company (WRPC),

Author: By Lydia Akile

Egbokodo-Itsekiri  was thrown into confusion, as Joint Task Force (JTF) stormed  the community  were illegal Bunkering takes place,  right behind Warri Refinery Petroleum Company (WRPC), about 100km away to the  creeks to the  river in Warri South Local Government, Delta State.

JTF surrounded the community with four Hilux vans loaded with armed soldiers with information, that illegal bunkering camps and products are being stored inside the Egbokodo –Itsekiri community.

JTF raided the community’s Shrine which supposes to be a Holy place for the community, has become depot for storing drums of illegal refined products  and were all destroyed.

Houses, where people live in the community, were also used to store drums of illegal products. While more than five zinc stores were built to hide products, were locked up and the owners fled from the area. JTF broke the stores open, found drums filled with products, and they destroyed all the drums and the products.

   The raiding took more than four hours, as   gutters in the community were flowing with Diesel back to the river.

The youth leaders ensured that all the areas, where drums of illegal products were hidden were being destroyed. According to them, that they have been warning them severally but, refused to stop.

Sources disclosed that the activities of illegal bunkering takes place at night and that the people’s lives living in the community, is at risk.  

JTF went further to the creek with four speed boats and discovered that the criminals had fled leaving their belongings at the camp. They found, several boats containing crude and refined products, machine and other equipments were set on fire immediately.

The total of four illegal oil refineries were destroyed; including 24 big boats containing drums of crude and refined products; and other illegal equipments.

JTF raided one of the camps at the back of WRPC at Ifie community, where five victims were caught, while others fled into the creek. Three among the five suspects were carpenters, building boats for the bunkerers, while the other two were caught with some triggers.

The names of victims are: Mr. Sylvester Tobore 20, a boat driver who convene passengers to the camp; Mrs Queen Imaku 40, from Okerekoko Community was caught with some triggers, suspected to be owned by her husband. While her husband’s name is Mr. Felix Imaku 45, fled from the scene, as JTF arrived the area.

While the others includes: Ojodun Ayokunle 19,from Igbotu; Adebowale Samuel 30, from Okiribo-Ese, Odo-Ondo and Jede Jaifeek 19, from Moniya, Ibadan were Carpenters  hired to build  boats used for illegal bunkering.

Diesel market by WRPC at Shagwolo, where individual marketers have their various caravans, from which they sell, was found to be where illegal products are sold, JTF raided the place and destroyed all the drums and jerry cans containing products.

The Commanding Officer, 3 Battalion Nigerian Army Delta, Lt Col. Ifeanyi Otu expressed shock as community shrine has now become depot for illegal refined products, which was supposed to be a Holy Place for the community.

He said that most shrines in Warri are suspicious; as they are equally used to store different kinds of things.

Col. Otu emphasized that the leaders of various communities were recently warned, that they will not condone such things in their areas. That, any community found in illegal bunkering and other criminal activities, that the leader in that community will be held responsible.