Barely three days after discovering an illegal pipelineused by outlawed leader of Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr Tom Ateke to siphon petroleum products, the Joint Military Task Force in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has discovered another illegal pipeline in Eleme.
According to Spokesman of the JTF who conducted newsmen round the pipeline traced from Eleme to the Port Harcourt refinery, the pipe was also used to illegally siphon products from the complex.
He said that they have arrested four persons in connection with the pipeline but would not give the names till investigations have been concluded.
Musa said the illegal pipeline now explains the flooding of the market with condensate and other adulterated products with the attendant havoc caused to unsuspecting consumers.
�Another pipeline for illegal bunkering has been discovered at Eleme road leading to the refinery area. NNPC pipeline also tapped by hoodlums and we have arrested four persons in connection with the tapping”,he said.
When the JTF conducted the Senate President, David Mark round the Okochiri stronghold of Ateke to show a cache of arms and ammunition seized from his depot, a pipeline allegedly laid to siphon products from there finery was also discovered.
The pipeline was traced to the private jetty used by Tom who has already denied laying the illegal pipelineor siphoning products from it.It could not be ascertained how and when such illegalpipelines were laid and how they were linked to therefinery from where they siphon products.
Sagir pleaded with residents of the area to continueto oblige them with information that would lead to the end of the unpatriotic activity.
He also blamed the upsurge in child kidnap cases on the successes they have recorded in stopping illegal oil bunkering which he said has cut their source of livelihood which depended on stealing oil products.