The Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Commandant General of the NSCDC, has discovered a huge illicit oil bunkering site at the Odagwa community in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The successful discovery of over 10 illegal refineries, containing an estimated 500,000 liters of crude oil in about 50 illegally constructed reservoirs, was based on credible intelligence, according to a statement signed by Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele, the NSCDC Rivers State Command’s public relations officer.
Ayodele stressed that the nation’s NSCDC is still dedicated to stopping illicit operations involving petroleum products, such as theft of crude oil and unlawful mining.
He restated the position of NSCDC Commandant General Ahmed Audi, who has continuously promised to investigate all instances of economic sabotage thoroughly, irrespective of the sponsors of the offenders.
The sentence said, “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.”
The statement disclosed that numerous pieces of equipment and storage facilities, such as cooking pots, pumping machines, rubber hoses, and numerous galvanized pipes, were discovered during the operational tour of the region.
“While conducting an operational tour across the large thick forest about 10 different cooking pots of 50,000 litres capacity were seen with 1 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 6 very large reservoirs and other 20 smaller reservoirs dugged in the ground.”
The Rivers State Command has received custody of the detained individuals for additional investigation and potential prosecution, according to the NSCDC.
They are known as Goodnews David (23), Godwin Amos (22), Bineace Galion (38), Favour Chukwu (29), and Desmond Umeh (25).
Basil Igwebueze, the NSCDC’s State Commandant for Rivers State, denounced the heinous conduct of unlawfully refining crude oil and prying into oil well heads.
He conveyed his appreciation for the establishment of the Special Intelligence Squad, which has been operating nonstop throughout the states to thwart illicit operations pertaining to petroleum products and protect vital infrastructure and national assets.
