The Nigerian Navy (NNS Pathfinder) recently introduced swamp buggy, a motor vehicle used to traverse buggy swamp terrain to assist them to crush pans and tanks used by illegal oil bunkers to store illegally refined petroleum products.
This is following the marching order by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, to his personnel involved in containing illegal oil activities in the creek to adopt more environmentally friendly ways of destroying illegal refineries and all accessories used in carrying out the criminal activities, Daily Trust learnt.
This illegal storing of refined petroleum products has been blamed for pollution of the atmospheric environment of coastal communities of Buguma, Ke, Kilometer 45, Billie, Alakiri, Owopono in Onne, Kpodo West and Batching waterside resulting to smoke billows which casts dark shadow in the sky.
It was observed that the use of the swamp buggy, in Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, the smoke billows have disappeared, the dark shadows giving way and the sky becoming clearer.
Daily Trust gathered that the activities of illegal refinery operators and the old method of setting ablaze impounded tanks and pans used in the criminal activities have, in addition to setting up of bonfires and use of asphalt machines by construction companies, caused black soot, a poisonous cancerous emission which is noticeable in some local government areas of the state to form.
The soot comes in form of black dust-like particles, noticeable in the environment and also gets trapped in the nostrils causing breathing problems to humans.
Several measures, such as shutting down doors and windows, regular bathing and washing of hands and faces as well as wearing masks, have been adopted to guard against the hazardous soot by residents of affected areas.
However, the Rivers State government has been having a running battle with the Federal Government and security agencies over the setting ablaze of illegal refineries and stolen crude oil without precautionary measures.
The Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore S.J. Bura, said the Nigerian Navy is committed to maintaining a clean and friendly environment, saying, the need to eliminate black soot in Rivers State was what informed the Navy using swamp buggy to destroy illegal refineries.
A senor naval officer who pleaded anonymity said because of the directive given to them by the Chief of Naval Staff, they adopted the use of swamp buggy to destroy illegal refineries in the creeks which were the major cause of soot.
“If you go round the notorious areas where this criminal activities are carried out you will find out that communities such as Buguma, Ke, Kilometer 45, Billie, Owopono, Batching waterside, Kpodo west and Alakiri no longer have smoke billows,” he said.
“It has disappeared and the sky is very clear. That will show you the extent we have complied with the directive given to us by the Chief of Naval Staff that he does not want to see smoke anywhere in the state,” he added.
He, however, suggested that the Department of Petroleum Resources should be involved in their operation so as to assist in evacuating the stolen crude.
The Base Operation Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Commander I.F Okoloagu, said they have adopted a more environmental way of dealing with black soot.
“We use swamp buggy to destroy illegal refineries. Hiring of swamp buggy is very expensive but we have no option because it is more environmentally friendly,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, more than 10 illegal refinery sites have been destroyed by the NNS Pathfinder in the last couple of months.
A resident of Buguma, Jonny Amayaofiri, also confirmed that the black soot in their area was reducing.
He said the use of swamp buggy by the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agents involved in fighting illegal refineries had helped in stopping smoke billows which were the major cause of soot in the area.
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