The Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) said handing over about 18 hectare of land at Takwa-Bay Island, Lagos to the Nigerian Navy for establishing a Forward Operating Base (FOB) would end pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft in the area.
Daily Trust had earlier reported that the Nigerian Navy embarked on OPERATION KUROMBE, to dislodge Criminal elements who have converted Takwa-Bay Island into a safe haven for their notorious activities.
It was reported that long before the Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT dislodged illegal occupants living on the island the place had been notorious for pipeline vandalism.
Over 300,000 plastic jerry cans containing petroleum products syphoned from ruptured pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were impounded by naval men.
Aside, the petroleum products seized, several wooden boats also known as Cotonou boats, pumping machines, generators as well as trucks were also impounded during operation KUROMBE.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony which was held penultimate Wednesday, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the move is to help check the increasing case of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft by the former occupants of the Island.
Usman who was represented at the function by Ahmed Yussuf from the land department of NPA said the discussion on the Foward Operating Base started since 2010 between the NPA and the Nigerian Navy, and that NPA accepted to hand over the land June 24, 2020.
“We are pleased with the partnership we have with the Nigerian Navy, it has been a long one and we believe that establishment will go a long way to strengthen the relationship between both parties in securing the facilities.
“Our expectations is that the Nigerian Navy will fully deploy and utilize this place so that it will serve the purpose which is given for, ” he said.
“Also the NPA general manager said that the choice of the location is strategic, and it will stop the threat from the miscreant both on the island and in the water that their presence here will not disrupt our port in other activities on the remaining land that we owned on top of the tarkwa bay island” she added
On his part, the Flag Commanding Officer (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral, Oladele Daji, said the official take over of the island for the purpose of esterblishing a Foward Operating Base (FOB) would help to check activities of vandals in the area.
Admiral Daji who was represented at the function by the Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Tanko Pani said both the Navy and NPA had been battling to dislodge Criminal gangs who have converted the place into a safe haven for their activities right from the inception.
The FOC explained that the Tarkwa Bay Island has been under siege due to the activities of those he referred to as “unpatriotic Nigerians”, who he said have been carrying out piracy and vandalism of pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) as well as involving in other criminal activities.
He said this therefore necessitated the authorization of OPERATION KUROMBE by the defence headquarters.
“Operation Kurombe dislodged the criminals and their collaborators from their hide outside on the island, and also the arrest of some suspected vandals, confiscation of nine trucks of which six were fully loaded with siphoned petroleum products from NNPC pipelines two days ago” he said.
