The Joint Military Task Force operating in the Niger Delta
on Friday announced that 20 Ghanaians were arrested for alleged involvement in
illegal bunkering.
The Ghanaians were arrested
along side six Nigerian accomplices.
Tukur Buratai, the Commander,
Sector II of the security outfit, which comprises of Rivers and Bayelsa States,
announced this in Port Harcourt.
Buratai said the task force
also destroyed seven barges loaded with crude oil, adding that the barges were
impounded in September at Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers
State, although he refused to disclose the quantity of crude oil that was
impounded.
Buratai, who is also the
Commander, 2 Brigade of the Army in Port Harcourt, said the arrested Ghanaians
and Nigerians have been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps, NSCDC, for prosecution.
“As you are aware, these
barges have been operating within this area. They take advantage of the creeks,
the difficult terrain, to sneak into the area and then steal the crude
oil," he said. ‘’But, luck ran out for them, we were able to intercept
them.”
The commander who revealed it
was difficult for gunboats to penetrate the creeks because of the shallow water
in some of the areas, however, assured that the force had taken full control of
the creeks as well as “take on the oil thieves squarely”.
Credit: Daily Times
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