Navy hands over N11m petrol stolen at Atlas Cove to NNPC

By Dapo Olawuni

In what appears as an increase in activities of petroleum vandals in Lagos, the Nigerian Navy on Monday said it recovered and handed over to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), 3,181 jerry cans of petrol – Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) worth N11 million.

Recall that vandals had last week caused an explosion around Ijegun, Lagos while trying to syphon fuel from an NNPC pipeline. Two people died in the explosion.

The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima who addressed journalists in Apapa, Lagos said the jerry cans were intercepted in Akaraba area of Atlas Cove through aggressive patrols put in place by the navy.

“On July 4, at 16.00hrs, NNS BEECROFT patrol team deployed to the Atlas Cove Island conducted raids at Akaraba area based on intelligence reports.

“The team recovered 3,181 in 25 litres jerry cans with product suspected to be PMS valued at N11,500,000.00.

“It was further discovered that the product was sourced from several vandalised points on the NNPC pipeline on the Atlas Cove Island,” he said.

“The navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, is determined to rid our waterways of all forms of criminality.

“NNS BEECROFT is, therefore, committed to assisting NNPC and other agencies of government in dealing with the issues of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft,” he said.

He warned pipeline vandals and other criminals particularly in the maritime environment to desist from nefarious activities and pursue lawful means of livelihood, warning that the navy would continue to hunt them.

The stolen petrol was handed over to the NNPC Atlas Cove Terminal Manager, who refused to mention his name.