he Nigerian Navy has averted an attempt by pirates to hijack three vessels in the Brass axis of Bayelsa State.
The Director of Information of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, said that the vessels, MV MOXON, MT AFRICAN BEAUTY and MT MADONA, were attacked by the pirates on May 3 and May 4, 2016 respectively.
He said that the prompt response of the Special Protective Team of the Navy prevented the pirates who made a serious effort to seize the vessels.
He said that naval operatives from the NNS Pathfinder also destroyed two illegal refineries at NAFCON Creek.
He said that the illegal refineries were holding seven storage tanks containing 10,000 liters of stolen crude oil and 20,000 liters of AGO.
He added that the Navy also destroyed a warehouse being used to hide the stolen AGO in GP tanks in Ikpokiri community in Rivers State.
He said, “The Nigerian Navy has averted pirate attack on 3 merchant vessels, namely MV MOXON, MT AFRICAN BEAUTY and MT MADONA. The vessels were attacked around Brass waterways in Bayelsa State on 3 and 4 May 2016.
“The criminals made spirited effort to seize the vessels but the timely response of the special protective team deployed by the Nigerian Navy successfully dislodged the pirates who fled to evade arrest.
“In a related development, the naval patrol team deployed by NNS PATHFINDER on 4 May 2016 discovered and destroyed 2 active illegal crude oil refineries located at NAFCON creek. The refineries had 7 storage tanks containing about 10,000 litres of stolen crude oil and 20,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
“This is even as the patrol team destroyed a warehouse used by the criminals to hide illegally refined products. The massive warehouse located at Ikpokiri community in Rivers State had GP tanks containing suspected illegally refined AGO.”
He warned owners of warehouses against leasing them out to criminals as the service would not be held accountable for any damage done to their properties during operations against oil theft, vandalism and piracy in the area.
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