28th April, 2017
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday said it destroyed an illegal oil storage facility and other related items in Ojekiri and Ngbae communities in the Niger Delta.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.
Adesanya said during a patrol mission conducted by NAF’s Mi-24V helicopter, illegal oil refinery activities were spotted in the communities.
He said an armed reconnaissance mission was subsequently conducted using the NAF’s EC-135 helicopter.
“During the armed reconnaissance, NAF crew discovered a 60-metre long oil storage facility filled with stolen oil products, an illegal oil barge and some canoes with drums containing stolen oil products.
“The storage facility, oil barge and canoes were successfully attacked by NAF helicopter and set ablaze,’’ he said.
The Director, however, explained that the aim of destroying the illegal oil storage facility was to make oil theft and illegal oil bunkering unprofitable to those involved in such activities.
This, Adesanya said was part of NAF’s contribution to protecting the nation’s economic assets.