In its renewed vigour in the fight against crude oil theft across the Niger Delta the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested 4 suspect for their alleged involvement in vandalism of oil pipeline, illegal dealings in petroleum products and operations of illegal local refinery in Abia State.
Our National correspondence gathered that the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad acted on a credible intelligence and embarked on clearance operation which led to the arrest inside the community forest of Ugbomuenedu, Uzuaku , Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
The CG SIS Commander, Commandant Apollos Dandaura said the CG’s SIS responded swiftly to an intelligence tip-off over an ongoing illegal oil refining activities inside the community forest of Ugbomuenedu Uzuaku in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
He hinted that the operatives stormed the swampy creek and discovered the ongoing illegal bunkering activities with multiple local drum ovens that were locally processing crude oil into adulterated Automobile Gas Oil( AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene( DPK, already processed and stored inside jerry cans for onward conveyance to would-be buyers and consumers.
The arrested suspects are: Silvius Irihiveme (M) 58years, who is the owner and operator of the local cooking ovens, another one is Solomon Chinagom (M) 29years, the acclaimed custodian and grant collector in the illegal refining site, Victor Chinedu Emmanuel (M) 31 years and Chika Emmanuel Nnaji (M) 45 years.
Some ttems recovered as exhibits from the illegal refining site includes: several dug-in reservoirs used as storage for siphoned and stolen crude oil, metallic galvanized pipes used for illegal connection , Jerry can already filled with locally processed adulterated petroleum products suspected to be AGO and DPK, 10 fabricated two-in one drum ovens among others.
In the meantime the Commandant General of the NSCDC Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni CFR has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident after which the suspects will be charged to court of competent jurisdiction.