The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC has uncovered an illegal oil storage site used by vandals to refine Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, also known as diesel, in Lagos.
Consequently, 19 suspected members of the syndicate ,among who was a female, were arrested.
Eighty one (81) trucks used to convey the products to different parts of the South West region were recovered, including nine buses.
In addition, 140 drums containing illegally refined AGO, 15 power generating sets ,12 pumping machines, 25 surface tanks N4 million cash kept in one of the syndicate’s cars, were recovered.
Explaining how the syndicate was smashed, spokesman for the NSCDC, Assistant Superintendent of Corps, ASCI Abolurin Olumide , said the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad stormed Etal Avenue, off Kudirat, Abiola way, Oregun in Ikeja area of Lagos State, at about 12.18 am yesterday, following intelligence report on the illegal oil storage site.
He said : “The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad, inaugurated towards the end of year 2021, at the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja, is also one of the multi – dimensional approaches being deployed by the Commandant General , Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to squash the desecrating activities of oil pipeline vandals and the assymetric war the nation isfaced with today.
“Recently, he reiterated his vow to stamp out oil pipeline vandalism, illegal oil bunkering, illegal dealings in petroleum products, illegal mining of solid and natural minerals and other disheartening forms of economic sabotage, being perpetrated by criminal elements, in our dear nation.
“Upon bursting the illegal oil site, it was discovered that petroleum products were being illegally stored and refined.
“The Squad was immediately re – enforced by the Anti – vandal team of the Lagos State Command, on the swift orders of the Commandant, Lagos State Command, Commandant Eweka Okoro, who directed that the arrested suspects be brought for adequate interrogation and investigation, in the Intelligence and Investigation, INT Department , at the State Command Headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, before further legal action will be taken on the matter.
“The Anti – vandal unit of the Lagos State Commas was also directed by the Commandant, to take full charge of the illegal oil site immediately, so as to forestall any further untoward activity by these economic saboteurs of our collective commonwealth”
While reiteratimg Okoro’s commitment to the vision and mission of the Commandant General, the former, according to him, warned oil thieves in the state to desist from inimical act capable of sabotaging the nation’s economy “with the disturbing untoward experiences it could bring upon the ordinary citizens of our nation.”
He warned that failure of unrepentant vandals and oil thieves to desist from the act will be meted with stiffer actions from the Command.