Naval Troops Impound 796 Bags of Foreign Rice
The patrol team of Forward Operating Base IBAKA have intercepted and arrested three medium-size wooden boats laden with 796 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice.
The bags of rice, it was gathered, were been smuggled into the country from the Republic of Cameroon.
The Military Command at a press briefing on Thursday, said the troops intercepted the wooden boats while on routine patrol around Parrot Island and Ikang creek respectively.
Speaking at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja, venue of the briefing, Mr. John Enenche, revealed that troops of Operation Delta Safe have continued to degrade the activities of economic saboteurs in the South South.
Enenche, who is a Major General, said between 27 and 30 August 2020, the patrol team also intercepted and arrested five medium-size wooden boats laden with 120 drums of product suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), with nine suspects around Effiat Waterways and James Town respectively.
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“The suspects and items recovered are currently in custody and will soon be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency,” added Gen. Enenche, who is the Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (DMO).
According to him, the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder patrol team, also located and dismantled an illegal refining site at Busonomei Kiriyo.
He said the site had a metal reservoir laden with an estimated 578 barrels of crude oil which was impounded.
The DMO Coordinator, further disclosed that troops of 16 Brigade Garrison, on 27 August 2020, discovered and destroyed an illegal refinery at Abbissa in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In the South West zone, Maj. Gen. Enenche, said troops of Operation Awatse have continued to intensify the fight against pipeline vandals, economic saboteurs and other criminal elements.
He said: Within the period under review, Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT conducted patrols of creeks and discovered 350 litres of Premium Motor Spirit contained in seven jerrycans of 50 litres hidden in the bush at Akimbo and Orita on the Atlas Cove Island.
“Similarly, the Base discovered 600 litres of PMS contained in 12 jerrycans of 50 litres hidden in a bush at Akaraba.”
