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NSCDC Discloses Illegal Dump Site In Ikwerre Community
Operatives of the Anti-Vandal Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command, have uncovered a massive illegal dump site in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area, believed to be used for the storage of stolen crude oil.
The illicit facility, described as a vast and isolated confinement, was reportedly used to warehouse unquantifiable volume of substances suspected to be siphoned from vandalised oil pipelines and stored in large GP tanks.
The discovery was made known in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ihemnacho Umeado, and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt recently.
According to the statement, the operation followed several days of painstaking intelligence gathering and surveillance, resulting in coordinated raid of the site by operatives of the Corps.
The statement noted that the strategic location of the illegal facility, tucked away in a remote part of the community, suggested a deliberate attempt by perpetrators to evade detection by security agencies.
It further revealed that the State Commandant, Dr. Joachin Okafor, led a team of senior officers to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment of the discovery and to evaluate the scale of the illegal operation.
During the visit, the Commandant reiterated the Corps’ zero tolerance for illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism, describing such activities as acts of economic sabotage that undermine national development.
He warned that NSCDC remains resolute and proactive in its mandate, stressing that the Command is fully prepared to track down and apprehend all those involved, regardless of their status or influence in society.
Dr. Okafor also expressed deep concern over the environmental degradation associated with illegal oil activities, noting that such practices pose serious threats to the ecosystem, public health, and the livelihoods of host communities.
He emphasised that the continuous destruction of pipelines and indiscriminate storage of petroleum products contribute significantly to pollution, loss of biodiversity, and long-term ecological damage in the Niger Delta region.
The Commandant used the opportunity to caution individuals and groups involved in crude oil theft and related crimes to desist forthwith or be ready to face the full weight of the law when apprehended.
Consequently, he directed the Command’s Intelligence Department to commence a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying the source of the products and also unmask all those behind the operation, with a view to ensuring their arrest and prosecution.
By: King Onunwor