Troops of the Nigerian Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt have uncovered over 40 dug out crude oil wells in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The wells which are about 40 feet deep are said to be the latest technique criminals employ in stealing crude oil from underground in the area, reports Daily Independent.
The troops uncovered the site today during a sweep and clear operation on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline, led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Major General Jamal Abdussalam.
Speaking shortly after the operation, Major General Abdussalam, said the discovery is an eye opener for the army in the war against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.
The GOC revealed that the oil thieves in the area had invented a technique of digging deep into the ground until they reach the crude oil deposits.
He said, “We have been conducting in the past two days and the aim of the operation was to clear the he trans-Niger Delta pipeline because we have been receiving complaints from SPDC of breaches on the TNP (Trans Niger Delta Pipeline) and based on that we decided to conduct operation to sweep and clear the pipeline, it was on the cause of that operation, we came to this particular location and you journalists have seen what we have seen.
“If you are not here, you may not believe what we are seeing, this area our troops have discovered more than 40 dug outs and these dug outs are not meant to access pipelines, they are dug out directly into the ground like well and surprisingly have access to crude oil. This is the first time I’m seeing this type of thing.
“You can see all around us are pits and very deep, you will need ladders to have access into it and at the bottom is crude oil, so they are just fetching crude just like water from a well.
“This is very sad and with this we have discovered a new dimension to oil theft, it is entirely a new dimension. This is not an issue of pipeline vandalism, this one is digging directly into the ground and having access to these resources.
Major General Abdussalam, noted that following the discovery, he would alert the authorities to the development, adding that troops would be permanently stationed at the site to prevent continuous operation of the site by the criminals.
“I will bring the attention of the relevant authorities to this site, so that they can come and see what can be done, but in the meantime, our men would be deployed so that we can stop people from from accessing the area because it is even dangerous to the people involved in this because a little fire will kill everyone conducting this dastardly act.
“It is also not good for the system, see how the whole place has been dug out. It is also very dangerous for people that are not even aware of this, because they can come blindly at night and fall inside this pit and that is the end. We would do the needful, we would not get tired until we rid this area of these criminals.
The GOC further stated that some suspects arrested at the scene were still in the custody of the army as investigation continues.
“Few people have been arrested, they are in our custody, we hope they will give us useful information that would lead to the arrest of others that are involved in this act.
Speaking with journalists, one of the suspects whose name could not be ascertained, confessed that the wells belonged to different families on the community.
He revealed sometimes diggers die in the process of digging the wells when they inhale the oozing gas, adding that they are usually paid about N40,000 to excavate a well of about 15 feet.
“It is owned by the community and not by one person. Some kindred and not all of them.
“To get oil, sometimes if the place is like here, we dig like 10 to 15 feet. When we dig it and notice that the gas is rising, if you do not run out on time people might suffocate and we bring them out half dead, but the unlucky ones die.
“When we bring them out and pour them water and give them coke. So after the gas the oil will come out. And another set will come to fetch it after we have finished digging it.
It is not only me, sometimes we could be about three to four and we are being paid N40,000 for one well.”
