Metro

Army Destroys Illegal Refineries In Rivers, Abia

Published

1 year ago

February 8, 2024

Troops of two divisions of the Nigerian Army have uncovered and destroyed a massive illegal refinery in Okoloma, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State and Umuahale area in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.

The discovery of the refineries was made during an operational visit led by the General Officers Commanding, 6 Division, Major General Jamal Abdussalam and his counterpart in the 82 Division, Major General Hassan Dada.

This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday by the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Danjuma and sent to newsmen.

The statement said the raid was part of efforts by the Army to put an end to the menace of illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta and South East regions of the country.

The statement reads, “The General Officers Commanding 6 and 82 Divisions, Nigerian Army Major General Jamal Abdussalam and Major General Hassan Dada, jointly paid an operational visit to the illegal oil bunkering empire located at Okoloma, Oyigbo Local Government Area and Umuahale area in Ukwa West LGA in Rivers and Abia States respectively.

“The locations are at the fringes of the Imo River, where the two Divisions are jointly conducting clearance operations from Rivers and Abia States.

“The visit was essentially to have an on-the-spot assessment of the illegality perpetrated by criminals and economic saboteurs as well as boost troops’ morale for a job well done. It was a follow-up to the earlier raid on one of the camps last week by troops of the 6 Division.

“While at the fringes of the Imo River, deep into the thickly forested areas, the GOCs were conducted through a tour by the Commander, 6 Division Garrison, Brigadier General Edet Effiong and Commander 14 Brigade, Brigadier General Olusola Diya.

“They saw the hub of illegal oil bunkering, shrouded with cooking pots, boilers, surface reservoirs and huge quantities of illegal products in dug-in reservoirs carefully concealed, under the thick forest with interconnected pipes spanning several kilometers.

“The crime scene points to the fact that it is an organized crime that has been running for a long period, owing to the huge investment made to sabotage the national economy.

“The GOCs who jointly addressed the troops charged them to ensure that all illegal bunkering sites are destroyed.

“They also re-echoed President Bola Tinubu’s directive on zero tolerance for illegal oil bunkering, charging troops to sustain the operational tempo against this mindless criminality.”

The GOCs, the statement continued, said if the illicit activity is allowed to continue, it will affect the Nigerian economy gravely.

“Additionally, it is believed that the proceeds from these illegalities are used to fund other crimes.

“Therefore, all hands must be on deck to deny the enemies of the state freedom of action and ensure that these streams of funding are completely dismantled.”

The PUNCH reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited said it has in the past weeks uncovered no fewer than 83 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta.

The NNPCL disclosed this on its X handle, adding that 15 illegal pipeline connections were also discovered within the same period.

“In the past week, 15 illegal pipeline connections and 83 illegal refineries have been uncovered in the Niger Delta,” the NNPCL said.

According to a video shared with the post, it was disclosed that between January 6 and 12, a total of 211 incidents of oil theft and vandalism were reported.

Seven cases of vandalism were recorded including a wellhead in the Umuajuloke community in Rivers State.

In Owerri, it was said that an active wellhead was found with several illegal connections.

It was also learnt that nine cases of oil spills were recorded in the week, mostly caused by vandalism, adding that Ogboinbiri in Bayelsa State has been ruined by oil spills.
PUNCH

Metro

Hotel Under Construction Collapses In Edo Kills Owner

Published

6 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in the Idumoza community, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction caved in, killing its owner, identified as Andrew Isesere.

The incident occurred last Friday while Isesere was reportedly inside the building.

Over 20 workers who were also at the site narrowly escaped death, according to eyewitnesses.

The lifeless body of the owner was recovered from the debris on Sunday morning.

Neighbours in the area expressed concern over the quality of materials used in the construction, noting that warnings had previously been issued to the deceased.

Andrew Inegbebor, a resident who spoke to reporters, said, “The owner was told he was using low quality material. He used 12mm instead of 16mm rods for the pillars. There was no base basket at the pillars. Look at the result.”

“The building collapsed because of substandard materials that were used. There was no engineer on site. The dead owner supervised the house. The house later collapsed and killed him , but some workers escaped,” he added.

At the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that he had not received a briefing on the incident.

Metro

Police Arrest Stolen Phone Tracker-altering Gang In Imo

Published

1 day ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

Metro

Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

Published

1 day ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, John Chinagorom, who is said to have been on the Command’s wanted list.

A statement released on Saturday by the Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command.

Ikenga said his arrest followed a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division on August 1, that the suspect, who is linked to a kidnapping case in Anambra, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its officers, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command, have arrested John Chinagorom ‘M’, a suspected kidnapper, who has been on the Command’s wanted list.

“This follows a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division at noon of 1st August 2025, that the suspect, John Chinagorom, who is linked to a kidnapping Case reported on 15th April 2025, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

“Acting swiftly on the information, a team of Police detectives from the Division was dispatched, and they successfully apprehended the suspect at his hideout in Zaria, with the assistance of officers of the Kaduna State Police Command.

“The suspect is currently in custody and is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation.”

He urged the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the security situation in the state is under control as joint security patrols and other crime prevention operations are ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the general security situation across other parts of the State remains calm, as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he added.