JTF Commander warns oil thieves, pirates in Niger Delta

[Mirror]

...as military outfit arrests, destroys 17 vessels

The Commander of the Joint Task Force, Major General Beita Debiro has warned oil thieves in the Niger Delta to desist from their illegal activities or continue to face the wrath of the law, especially that of his outfit which he said will continue to checkmate all bunkering and piracy activities in the region.

According to Debiro, activities of these criminals are not being supported by the Government and that no Nigerian is happy that the country's oil is being stolen illegal out of the country.

He was emphatic in his call for all Nigerians to come together to fight the scourge. ''Illegal vandals and pirates should stop the practice or else the JTF will continue to make life unbearable for those who are making life unbearable for the people of the country.

The Government and all Nigerians are against these crimes and all Nigerians should come together and fight the scourge called illegal oil bunkering and piracy" he appealed. Debiro made the appeal during an operation inspection tour of the Bonny area of Rivers State.

Beita who spoke with journalist during tour added that men of his task force will consistently success difficult for the perpetrators of the crime in the region while also maintaining high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

During the tour, there were revelations that17 vessels and boats have been arrested by the Sub Sector 5 of the JTF (which consists of Bonny, Andoni and Gokana areas of Rivers State) between April 2012 and July 2013.

The146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, and all the other components of the JTF on the Island have destroyed eight boats and vessels between April 12 and August 30, 2012, while they have arrested nine other vessels, which have all been detained at the Bonny Anchorage, Oyorokoto Jetty, Peterside, Coal Beach, Cawthorne and Oloma House boat around the Bonny Island.

At the NPA jetty, four vessels namely EFCC 224, EFCC 116, Rockfish and one other were impounded and are been guarded by men of the Task Force while the crew have been taken to the Sector 2 Headquarters, Port Harcourt for further interrogation and investigations.

During the inspection, a super vessel, VLIE LAND, that has a storage capacity of about 1,300 metric tons and about 100.9 metres long(the size of a football pitch) was seen grounded at the Bonny Island Beach area and has been boarded and been guarded by men of the JTF.

According to the JTF command, its crew under detention at its Port Harcourt offices for further investigations.

Speaking with journalists after the exhaustive inspection of all the formation of his outfit, JTF commander, Major General Beita Debiro, who was satisfied with the level of performance of this men, said he has not been at the area for a while and that his visit was necessitated by information of an upsurge in Illegal Bunkering and Piracy activities in the area.

He added that he also undertook the inspection to encourage officers of the outfit and that the impressive performance of the task force inj the area can be seen.

National Mirror