Over 65,000 Litres of Crude Oil impounded-Nigerian Navy

The Nigeria Navy operating in Lokoja, Kogi State has impounded over 65,000 litres of crude oil and other petroleum products in a wooden boat measuring 40 metres on the River Niger. Officials of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would receive the seized products as they would be handed over to them by the Navy for test to determine the type of product and evacuation while the boat will be destroyed with all the equipment. Two pumping machines, three Yamaha boat engines, three hoses, 150 litres of PMS, a machete, rubber bucket, one bag containing machine tools and five empty 25 litres of jerry-cans were items reportedly seized from the bunkers. Lugard, Lokoja, Commodore Shuwa Abdulrahim Muhammed, told newsmen that the petroleum products were stored in nine tanks of 500 litres each. The boat, he said, was discovered at a marshy area on River Niger around Lokoja on October 13 by the command while on patrol from Baro in Niger State to Lokoja and Idah in Kogi State. He said as of the time of discovery, the boat was abandoned by bunkers due to intensive patrol around the area by the Navy. According to him "The Federal Government's policy and directive from the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Usman Jibrin, on zero tolerance on oil theft and illegal bunkering on our waterways would be enforced with a view to eradicating the menace." Source: Nigerian Tribune