The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has discovered an illegal bunkering operation in a forest area of Umuedeokwara Community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad made the discovery while conducting an operation to combat oil theft in the region.
On Tuesday, the Corps spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, issued a statement confirming this.
The CG’s SIS Commander, Deputy Commandant Appolos Dandaura, claimed that the operation was predicated on intelligence inputs indicating the establishment of an illicit refinery on the site.
According to Dandaura, criminals were syphoning crude oil from international oil pipelines using constructed and galvanised iron pipes connected by inserted valves.
The stolen oil was then kept in big tarpaulin reservoirs before being processed locally into vehicle petrol oil.
“Like we always reiterate that our operations are intelligence-based and we value every piece of information and preserve the integrity of our informants; we swung into action, combed the entire forest, and discovered where the suspects were refining crude oil locally after storage in large trampoline reservoirs and further packaged them in cellophane bags and sacks.
“The following exhibits were marked at the crime scene: about 20,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil stored in cellophane bags, large quantities of siphoned crude oil stored in tarpaulin reservoirs, different sizes of aluminium and plastic buckets, galvanized metallic fabricated pipes, heavy-duty industrial hoses and items of clothing belonging to the suspects,” Dandaura was quoted saying.
At the location, the NSCDC unit discovered a variety of equipment used in the illicit activity, including aluminium and plastic buckets, heavy-duty industrial hoses, and clothing items believed to belong to the suspects.
Dandaura stated that the operation is consistent with the NSCDC Commandant General Ahmed Audi’s directive to crack down on illicit bunkering activities and ensure that those suspects are apprehended and convicted.
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