NSCDC Uncovers Illegal Oil Bunkering Site, Arrests Five Suspects

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Rivers State has uncovered an illegal oil bunkering site at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area..
Spokesperson of NSCDC, Olufemi Ayodele said the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad made the discovery of about 10 illegal refineries with an estimated 500,000 litres of crude oil contained in about 50 illegally constructed reservoirs following intelligence.
He stated that the NSCDC will continue to fight against crude oil theft, illegal mining, illegal dealings in petroleum products, amongst others across the country.
“The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi has reiterated over time that all acts of economic sabotage would be fought to a standstill as suspects arrested would face the full wrath of the law irrespective of their sponsors,” he said.
In tandem with the Commandant General’s, order, a Special Intelligence Squad was set up, as they were charged to be thorough and results- oriented in their operations.
He noted that the success of the special squad was “based on credible intelligence, the CG’s SIS swung into action and uncovered 10 illegal local refineries in a forest located in Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State where five suspects were caught in the act of illegally refining of crude oil”.
While conducting reconnaissance operations across the large thick forest, about 10 different cooking pots of 50,000 litres capacity were seen with one big pumping machine, Receiver Tanks, 25 rubber hoses used for pumping crude oil and many long galvanised pipes with unqualified litres of crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil stored in six large reservoirs and other 20 smaller reservoirs dug in the ground.
The suspects arrested have now been handed over to the Rivers State Command for further investigation and possible prosecution are Favour Chukwu (M), 29 years, Desmond Umeh (M), 25 years, Godwin Amos (M), 22years; Bineace Galion (M), 38years; and Goodnews David (M), 23 years.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commandant, Basil Igwebueze has condemned the unrepentant act of unscrupulous elements who tapped into the oil well head of Heirs Energies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) located around Imo River 2 Oil and Gas Field at Odagwa in Etche, through different channels, inserted their galvanised pipes and siphoned crude oil while processing same within the premises without remorse.
The Rivers State NSCDC Commandant thanked the Commandant General for the commissioning of the Special Intelligence Squad that has been working relentlessly across the States of the federation to combat the menace of illegal dealings in petroleum products, crude oil theft, vandalism of railway lines, amongst others.
“The uncovering of this massive illegal oil bunkering site is a landmark achievement and an indication that the NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of all critical national assets and infrastructure will continue to combat crude oil theft with renewed vigour even as we work in synergy with sister security agencies to salvage the nation’s economy from saboteurs”, Igwebueze said.
“Let me reassure you that thorough investigation has commenced to unravel those behind the scene while all suspects arrested in connection with this act of vandalism and crude oil theft would be charged to court of competent jurisdiction and their sponsors or cartels would be trailed and brought to book without compromise,” he added.