The Port Harcourt Navy has raided an illegal bunker site, allegedly owned by a pastor of a Pentecostal church in Bayelsa State.

The Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder, in Port Harcourt, Capt. Victor Choji, spoke yesterday when he presented seven suspected illegal bunkers to reporters.

He said some of the suspects confessed working for the unnamed pastor and other sponsors, whose identities were not given.

Choji said the Navy made the findings after it deployed a fact-finding mission to check the source of the hydrocarbon pollution in Port Harcourt.

“On July 23, about 1300 hours, troops located an area in Alakiri (Okirika Local Government), which investigation revealed was recently built for illegal refining activities.

“Seven suspects were arrested on the scene. Quantities of crude and illegally-refined diesel were seized by our personnel,” he said.

Choji said the suspects were in naval custody and had provided information on the dynamics of their illegal operations in Rivers and Bayelsa.

“This information is important because it has given us a lead on how to track down on this organised criminal network that has been operating in these states.

“The suspects have also given us names of some of their sponsors; among them is an acclaimed pastor, who owns a renowned church in Bayelsa State.

“We sent a team to arrest one of the sponsors, but unfortunately the suspect fled with his family before troops arrived at his home. We are still on his trail,” he said.

The executive officer said investigation was on with a focus “to gather more resources” before launching a manhunt for the pastor and other sponsors.

He said criminals had remained dogged despite efforts by the Navy and other security agencies to halt illegal refining of oil in Niger Delta.

Choji said the Navy had, however, come up with an intelligence-driven strategy that entailed personnel monitoring certain activities at markets.

“We tried to establish market places where illegal bunkers sell their product. We believe that when transaction between the seller and buyer is stopped, illicit activities will be frustrated.

“We adopted this comprehensive approach to ensure criminals are stopped at the beginning; frustrate them from selling their product and arrest them where they succeeded.

“This strategy paid off on Tuesday with the discovery of another illegal refinery undergoing construction in the maritime environment.

“Our intelligence team trailed suspects to the illegal refining site after they had purchased large quantity of equipment and spare parts at a market place,” he said.

Choji said the Navy would not rest on its oars until it addressed the resurging soot pollution in the state.

One of the suspects, Tuboke Omoro, said he receives N15, 000 daily from one of the unidentified sponsors, who are on the run.