The Navy through its Operation Awatse and Kurombe has marked no fewer than additional 200 illegal structures and shanties for demolition on some islands in parts of Lagos State and Ogun watersides.
It said that the proposed demolition would be another phase after it destroyed 462 illegal strictures in and around Atlas Cove last December.
The Media Coordinator of Operation AWATSE and KUROMBE, Navy Cdr. Thomas Otuji, said in a statement to reporters yesterday in Lagos that the illegal structures (shanties) would be demolished on Old Akinbo Island, which has 12 structures and five structures marked at Aditu.
He listed others marked for demolition to include: “Phase 2 with 17 structures, Ikate with 22 structures, Upstairs with five structures and Virgin Land with three structures for demolition.
“White House has three structures, Akaraba has 62 structures, Idi Mangoro has 28 structures, Waterside has 19 structures, Ilado has 57 structures and Robert has 13 structures.
“Abule Glass has 21 structures and Ilashe has 37 structures,’’ Otuji said.
He advised law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses.
Otuji said that during the previous raid, the officers discovered fabricated pipes and multiple hoses connected to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines used by the vandals to illegally siphon petrol.
He said no fewer than 300 points discovered along the pipelines were dismantled by members of the Operation.
“It is instructive to note that during the raid, some foreigners were also found on the islands without any documentation.
“Interrogations of dwellers by troops of Operation AWATSE showed that vandals colluded with miscreants to export stolen petroleum products to neighbouring countries, thereby short-changing Nigeria.
“In view of these atrocities, it has become expedient to identify the illegal structures for demolition, to rid the islands of mischief makers,” he said.
Otuji urged law-abiding citizens to report any infraction by criminals to the Operation’s headquarters for prompt actions.
“For legitimate residents of the islands, let me re-assure them that for no reason will troops of Operation AWATSE unduly harass or intimidate anyone.”
He said that the Operation AWATSE officers were there to carry out their mandate and would be guided by its Standing Operating Procedure and Rules of Engagement.
“You are enjoined to cooperate with the troops to rid the islands of criminals for the benefits of the inhabitants of the place and for a safer environment,” Otuji said.
He said that Operation AWATSE would continue with the ongoing raids of destroying the capacity of pipelines vandals who had been disrupting the distribution of petroleum products by the NNPC.
Otuji said that the Operation was set up to curb pipeline vandalism, crude oil and petroleum product theft, but to uphold anti-kidnapping, anti-robbery and anti-cultism.
He added that it was also to curb other crime-related activities that could impact negatively on the security of Lagos and Ogun; particularly Epe and Ogun watersides.
He said the mandate entailed Operation AWATSE protecting critical NNPC pipelines, within the Right Of Way from Atlas Cove to Mosimi where billions of naira had been lost to the activities of pipeline vandals.
“You will agree with me that Operation AWATSE in the past had engaged in a series of operations within the same corridor with huge seizures of petroleum-related materials from criminals.
“After considerations and consultations, the Defence Headquarters deemed it necessary to embark on a surgical operation in order to sanitise Atlas Cove and its environs of all forms of criminality.
“From the early hours of December 21, 2019 to date, troops of Operation AWATSE have continued to engage in surgical operations to dislodge pipeline vandals from NNPC facilities at Atlas Cove and its environs in Lagos,” he said.
Otuji added that 150,000 empty jerrycans were discovered, no fewer than 5,000 jerrycans with PMS were confiscated and 310 wells and pits with PMS were also discovered.
He said that 21 canoes and two boats were also recovered from the vandals.
