Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, says it has uncovered an illegal refinery at Adobi-Akwa settlement in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Rivers State Commandant of NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze, said the suspected oil thieves had connected their pipes to the wellhead of yet to be yet-to-be-ascertained multinational company and stole crude oil for illegal refining into Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.
Igwebueze speaking through the Head of Antivandal Squad, Peters Ibiso, who led the operation, said the illegal refinery was discovered following a tipoff, adding that the illegal refiners took to their heels, upon sighting the Corps’ operatives.
According to him, the Command will not relent in the fight against illegal dealings in petroleum products and urged the members of the public to have more trust in the NSCDC by providing actionable intelligence that would enhance possible arrest of economic saboteurs in the State.
He said, “Upon receiving a tip-off, the antivandal operatives swung into action to uncover this illegal oil bunkering site, we were in this forest for two days having cordoned the area; unfortunately, the perpetrators upon sighting our men took to their heels but an investigation is still ongoing to effect the arrests of such defiant elements.
“Our commitment to continuously work in tandem with the prosecutorial mandate of the Corps to rid the State of economic saboteurs remains unchanged, we value our informants and most especially the intelligence-driven tip-off received from time to time.
“It is also our duty to ensure that our source of information is not disclosed to protect our informants, it is, therefore our delight that the public will continue to have confidence and trust in us as we together protect the nation’s critical national assets from daredevil vandals.”
This article was originally posted at sweetcrudereports.com
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