Bunkering at Atlas Cove: Navy impounds five desert trucks, recovers 3,181 jerry cans
Naval operatives attached to the Nigerian Navy ship, NNS BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos, have seized five desert trucks from a fuel theft ring at Atlas Cove, Lagos, which is a few distance away from a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) terminal. Though no suspect was arrested, the Navy said that the gang was pilfering fuel from […]
Commodore Shettima, Commander NNS BEECROFT, during a tour of Akaraba Island where stolen petrol was stockpiled by criminals
Naval operatives attached to the Nigerian Navy ship, NNS BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos, have seized five desert trucks from a fuel theft ring at Atlas Cove, Lagos, which is a few distance away from a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) terminal.
Though no suspect was arrested, the Navy said that the gang was pilfering fuel from a pipeline running from Atlas Cove to the Ejigbo and Mosimi depots in Lagos and Ogun states.
Also uncovered was a mini-depot at Akaraba Island, a small fishing settlement, where the naval officers said bunkerers were using to stockpile jerry cans containing fuel believed to have been siphoned from ruptured pipes.
Recovered from the settlement were 3,181 jerry cans containing premium motor spirit (petrol), valued at N11.5 million.
Our correspondent learnt from naval sources that the bunkering gang had blocked roads leading to the area to obstruct the military operation, but naval officers forced their way through to seize the five trucks.
Stealing fuel from pipelines belonging to the NNPC and re-selling it on the black market has become a major criminal enterprise along the many miles of unoccupied lands where the pipes pass through.
The Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima, at the weekend told journalists in Apapa, Lagos, that the jerry cans were intercepted in the Akaraba area, Atlas Cove.
“On July 4, at about 4pm, the NNS BEECROFT patrol team deployed at Atlas Cove Island conducted raids at the Akaraba area based on an intelligence report. The team recovered 3,181, 25-litre jerry cans containing a product suspected to be premium motor spirit, valued at about N11.5m. It was discovered that the product was sourced from many vandalized points on the NNPC pipeline at the Atlas Cove Island,” Shettima said.
The naval officer declared that the NNS BEECROFT was committed to assisting NNPC and other agencies of government in dealing with the issue of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
He, therefore, warned pipeline vandals, thieves and other criminal elements, particularly in the maritime environment, to desist from nefarious activities and pursue lawful means of livelihood.