The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad has uncovered significant illegal oil bunkering operation in Odagwa community, Etche, Rivers State.
Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele, the Public Relations Officer of NSCDC Rivers State Command, disclosed that over 10 illegal refineries with approximately 500,000 litres of crude oil stored in about 50 illicitly constructed reservoirs were discovered through credible intelligence.
Ayodele stressed the NSCDC’s unwavering dedication to combating crude oil theft, illegal mining, and other illicit activities related to petroleum products nationwide.
He reiterated the stance of the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi who has consistently vowed to pursue all acts of economic sabotage to their full extent, regardless of the perpetrators’ sponsors.
The statement read: “The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni, OFR has reiterated over time that all acts of economic sabotage would be fought to stand still as suspects arrested would face the full wrath of the law irrespective of their sponsors.
“In furtherance, the CG gave a marching order to the Special Intelligence Squad charging them to be more thorough and results-oriented in their operations” “Based on credible intelligence the CG’s SIS swung into action and uncovered 10 illegal local refineries in a forest located at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State where 5 suspects were caught in the act of illegally refining of crude oil.”
He disclosed that during the operational tour of the area, various equipment and storage facilities, including cooking pots, pumping machines, rubber hoses, and many galvanized pipes were found.
Items found at the sites include cooking pots of 50,000 litres capacity, Big Pumping machine, Receiver Tanks, 25 rubber hoses used for pumping crude oil and many long galvanized pipes with unqualified litres of crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil stored in very large reservoirs and other 20 smaller reservoirs dugged in the ground.
The NSCDC noted that the suspects arrested have been handed over to the Rivers State Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.
They are identified as Favour Chukwu (29), Desmond Umeh (25), Godwin Amos (22), Bineace Galion (38), and Goodnews David (23).
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Rivers State Commandant of the NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze condemned the brazen act of tapping into oil well heads and illegally refining crude oil.
He expressed gratitude for the Commissioning of the Special Intelligence Squad, which has been tirelessly working across the states to combat illegal activities related to petroleum products and safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure.
