Warri residents raise alarm over suspected illegal oil bunkering

Nathan Tamarapreye

Residents and business owners along the old Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Road in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have raised concerns over what they describe as a surge in suspected illegal oil bunkering activities, urging the authorities to intervene before the situation escalates.

The residents alleged that the area has witnessed an influx of trucks in recent weeks, with many reportedly arriving at night to load suspected illegally refined petroleum products.

Speaking with our correspondent, a motor spare parts dealer, Mr Eshegbe Okonta, said the illicit activities had existed for years but had intensified significantly over the past months.

“Since last month, this NPA Road has been flooded with trucks waiting to load illegal products. It wasn’t as bad as this before now.

“They usually bring them from the creeks in the night for the trucks to load,” he said.

Another resident and business owner, Mr Morrison Otabor, alleged that as many as 30 trucks could be seen queued at a time awaiting loading.

“The irony of the matter is that the trucks have no number plates, supposedly as a way of disguise,” he said.

Mrs Susan Destiny also claimed that the products were transported at night in barges, which berth at the Milan Waterside Jetty before being transferred through hoses into waiting trucks.

She warned that the activities posed serious environmental and safety risks to residents and businesses in the area.

“What these people are doing is very bad. For over one month now, trucks have been coming to this place to load illegal petroleum products.

“I appeal to the government to urgently intervene before things get out of hand,” she said.

However, a security source offered a different account, claiming that the trucks were loading recovered crude oil from an earlier spill in one of the state’s riverine communities rather than products from illegal bunkering operations.

As of the time of filing this report, no fewer than 25 trucks were reportedly queued around midnight awaiting loading, while more vehicles continued to arrive.

The trucks were parked on both sides of the NPA Expressway, stretching from the old port towards the new port.

Residents said, aside from the environmental and security concerns, the long queues of heavy-duty vehicles have disrupted the free flow of traffic on the busy road, worsening congestion and raising fears of possible accidents.