OPDS arrest barges allegedly carrying illegally refined petroleum product in Bonny area of Rivers State

The Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, has intercepted eight barges allegedly smuggling over 100,000 litres of adulterated diesel also known as AGO in Rivers State

Real Admiral Olusegun Ferreira who is the commander, of the Joint Task Force, South-South, OPDS,  revealed this on Sunday in Bonny while displaying the captured barges and petroleum products to some reporters in the state.

According to the commander, he said during a stop-and-search operation across multiple creeks, security forces impounded the vessels carrying contaminated diesel.   

During a press briefing, the commander was Represented by OPDS Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Adedokun Siyanbade. He stated that the seizure was in keeping with the task forces' mandate to purge the Niger Delta of crude oil theft and criminality. 

He said "The seizures were done as part of the directives given to OPDS by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, to ensure total eradication of crude oil theft.

"Acting on this directive, the OPDS pushed further its operations resulting in the arrest of eight barges laden with suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel).

"The barges cumulatively had over 100,000 litres of diesel stored inside different compartments in Bonny area, of Rivers State.

He concluded that no arrest had been made but that troops were currently on the trail of the operators of the seized vessel.

He added that in collaboration with other security agencies within the joint operation areas OPDS will not relent in its efforts to ensure that crude oil theft is stopped at all costs.