Special Task Force, PINL Collaboration Busts 2 Illegal Refining Sites Operating Under Cover Of Piggery And Logistics Firm

Collaborative security operations between Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and the Special Prosecution Task Force (SPT) of the Federal Government have led to the busting of two illegal refining sites in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The sites, operating under the cover of a logistics company, Emekus Nigeria Ltd, and a faceless but large piggery, were both discovered to be active illegal sites for refining millions of litres of stolen petroleum products. Equipment used in the illegal business was found on both sites.

Emekus Nigeria Limited is located at the Umuebule axis of Oyigbo, while the piggery is located at a remote axis east of the bank of the Imo River. Bags of stolen crude awaiting refining, 3 tanks of different capacities and a 33,000-litre truck, among others, were seen at Emekus Nigeria Limited.

At the piggery, some matured pigs and piglets were found at the farm, which also has a section for a fish pond, while the bushy, sloppy back side of the farm was converted to a crude oil cooking site.

The pigs were found wailing out of hunger because the owners of the farm had abandoned them and escaped for fear of arrest.
During the inspection of the sites on Tuesday, led by CSP Omar Sini, Head of Investigation Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Task force on the Hydrocarbon Sector, a suspect, believed to be the farm manager, took to his heels when he saw the team approaching the farm.

Andrew Ebikeme of PINL explained how the discovery was made: “This is an illegal refining site with products from stolen crude.

The area was discovered using intelligence information provided by PINL community-based surveillance guards.

“We came here, and what we saw was mind-blowing. As you can see, this is supposed to be a logistics base but behind it, we have this illegal activity going on.

Right now, this has been confiscated by the special prosecution team”.

He pointed out that to be able to make the discovery, PINL had maintained a healthy and cordial working relationship with the SPT and all other stakeholders on the protection of the nation’s oil assets, including different strata of the host communities.

On his part, CSP Sini, Head of Investigation, Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Illicit Activities on the Hydrocarbon Sector, confirmed the illegal refining sites were busted relying on credible intelligence from PINL surveillance officers.

He said that 3 suspects – a woman and 2 other accomplices were arrested and would be prosecuted immediately after investigations were concluded.

He added that about 108 suspects were already remanded across the Niger Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

CSP Sini stated that the SPT had secured 2 convictions with 38 active cases at the trial levels and others at the investigation level.

He also confirmed that sixty thousand liters of stolen products were contained in sacks inside a section of the premises of Emekus Nigeria Limited.

He also explained that the SPT was able to discover the piggery by intelligence information from PINL, stressing that the location of the piggery was so remote that it could only be located with the help of a drone to be located.