Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo has disclosed that illegal refineries in Niger Delta are usually reactivated hours after demolition. 

Commenting on efforts to combat illegal oil refining in the region during a media chat last weekend, Gambo said it is difficult to track activities of all illegal oil refiners as there are over 3,000 creeks in the region. 

He said; 

“I have to bring to note: Illegal refining sites as we speak take about seven to eight hours after destruction to be reactivated for illegal operation by those involved.

“We have over 3,000 creeks in the Niger Delta such that even if we’re going to put all the armed forces of Nigeria into those creeks, it would not be enough.”

Urging leaders in the region to emulate the “political will” displayed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state in the campaign against illegal oil refining, he added that the Nigerian Navy has launched several operations in Rivers to combat the menace with the Governor’s support. 

Gambo said; 

“It takes political will for a leader to say, ‘any local government chairman in my state that does not bring out the culprit involved in such illegality will be removed from office’

“We took that and because of the support of the Rivers state government for us, we launched ourselves into that operation.”