LAGOS JANUARY 18TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The Nigerian Army has uncovered an illegal oil bunkering site in the Ikeja area of Lagos.

The Operation Officer, 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Major Tarela Emuren, who disclosed this to journalists on Monday, said criminals used the facility to refine and transport crude oil to different filling stations in the South West.

He added that five persons were arrested while four tankers loaded with the refined products and five vans were recovered by troops of Operation AWATSE.

Emuren said: “The scale of economic sabotages orchestrated by this unscrupulous act is estimated at about N300 million. Regrettably, these activities have been ongoing for quite some time without the knowledge of relevant government agencies.

“The five Ford vans have been specially modified without due recourse to safety to accommodate locally fabricated tanks for storage of stolen petroleum products. Additionally, four tankers laden with suspected stolen products as well as several drums, hoses, and other equipment used by these economic saboteurs. were also recovered at the illegal depot.

“Besides the economic loss occasioned by the activities of these criminals, the safety concern is also worrisome. The location constitutes serious dangers to other law-abiding residents within the community while their activities result in environmental degradation, pollution and heighten the risk of fire outbreak.”

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