Home NewsNational News FORCE UNCOVERS, DESTROYS ILLEGAL REFINERY IN ANAMBRA

FORCE UNCOVERS, DESTROYS ILLEGAL REFINERY IN ANAMBRA

by Adeyinka Adetan

A joint task force combining operatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and Chief of Defence Staff Committee have carried out a raid on an illegal refinery allegedly operated by “Transtell Group”, located along the GMO Road, Abor Industrial Layout, near Onitsha, Anambra State.

 

While on the operation, the team of operatives said they were able to recover truck conveying illegally refined petroleum products and moved them to a dump site near the Second Niger Bridge area, where the items were destroyed.

 

Assistant Commandant Chinweze Chinenye, the spokesperson for the Joint Task Force told journalists on Monday in Onitsha that the team acted on credible intelligence and due diligence when they stormed the premises of the company to carry out the raid on Sunday.

 

Chinenye said the illegal refinery equipment, such as tanks and hoses, was located at the back of the company, while the factory used the front premises for the production of vegetable oil, palm kernel oil and other items in order to deceive the unsuspecting public.

 

He said, “The organisation said they produce vegetable oil, palm kernel oil and others, but at the back of the factory, we discovered tanks for illegal refining of crude and refined low-density oil in very large quantities. That proved that they also run an illegal refinery.

 

“After due diligence and intelligence gathering, the security agencies stormed the place on Sunday. The joint security task force evacuated and destroyed the illegally refined crude found in the company.

 

“Although no arrest has been made yet, this is because the workers fled after they saw security operatives at the premises. They had already refined several gallons of crude before security operatives arrived at the scene. Investigations would continue until we arrive at the root of the matter.”

 

However, there were insinuations that the military stormed the premises to intimidate staffs while also carting away the company’s vegetable oil products amounting to over #200 Million.

 

However, Ralph Njoku, the Chief Security Officer of the Tanstell Group denied the claim, noting that the purported information was not from the company and that the occurrence didn’t occur.

 

“I was surprised when I came across the reports that personnel of the Nigerian Army invaded our facility and carted away our products worth millions of naira. Nothing like that happened in the factory.

 

“What actually happened was that personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, in the company of other security agencies, evacuated and destroyed the crude oil found in our company. That evacuation of suspected crude was monitored by the company’s security men, including myself, who is the Chief Security Officer. Nobody was molested, and no facility was vandalised,” Njoku said.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
-
00:00
00:00
Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00