Surveillance contractors uncover crude oil tapping point in Rivers

Oil assets surveillance contractors said they uncovered a crude oil tapping point in Ogbonga, Oloma community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The contractors urged the security agencies to immediately investigate the incident.

The Secretary, Oil Assets Surveillance Contractors Forum in Bonny Kingdom, Graham Pepple, in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Saturday said they discovered the illegal loading point on the Trans Niger Pipeline belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Pepple stated, “We call on the military, police, civil defense, all relevant security high commands to move in to investigate the illegal oil loading point sited at Ogbonga, Oloma community.

“The illegal connection was found to have been installed for the purpose of feeding illegal refineries from the TNP Line. We urged the security authority to carry out a proper investigation to ascertain those involved in the installation of the bunkering line.”

He said his group was worried that despite the presence of the houseboat stations manned by security agencies around the said location, such criminal acts were going on.

“We are surprised that despite the robust presence of the army and navy houseboats stationed around the said location, loading of illegally refined products via a line illegally connected to the TNP at Ogbonga area of Bonny Island is still going on.”

Pepple, a Surveillance Contractor with SPDC added, “We are not jumping to any conclusion. All we can say for now is for the security high commands to move for thorough investigations to ascertain what the situation is. We are on the ground to assist with useful information.”

Efforts to reach a spokesman of SPDC, Michael Adande, proved abortive as he had yet to answer calls put across to him.

Responding to a text message sent to him, he will find out and get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report on Sunday afternoon.