11th September, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in River have arrested 3 suspects with a big wooden boat and 2 vehicles loaded with illegaly refined petroleum products.
DSC Olufemi Ayodele, Public Relations Officer of NSCDC,Rivers State Command announced the arrest in statement.
The suspects were paraded at the Ogbogoro Exhibit Jetty by Rivers Commandant of NSCDC, Michael Ogar.
Ogar said following the dissolution and reconstitution of the Antivandal Unit across the Federation; the Rivers Command of NSCDC with a renewed vigour, has impounded a large wooden boat laden with about 24,000 litres of locally/illegaly Refined petroleum products- Dual Purpose Kerosene. (DPK).
He stated that the illegally refined petroleum products were stored in cellophane concealed in sack bags.
‘The products were carefully arranged in the wooden boat such that a layman would assume it as a passenger boat.
“But based on sustained intelligence the suspects: William Chen (29) Male and Emmanuel Uriah (27) Male were tactically double crossed and arrested by our marine team along Isaka creek off the new Calabar River axis in Rivers State”.
Also, the land Patrol team of the Command arrested one Anayo Obasi for illegal dealings in petroleum products.
The suspect was apprehend with a mini bus laden with about 1,500 litres of illegaly refined automotive gas oil (AGO) concealed in cellophane.
Commandant Ogar added that another carladen with about 1,500 litres of illegaly refined automotive gas oil (AGO) was impounded at Abonnema Wharf by UTC junction.
He issued a stern warning to those milking the economy of the nation through oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities to relocate from Rivers State
“We are fully equipped and ready to fight the menace of oil theft, vandalism of oil pipelines and all acts of illegal dealings in petroleum products in Rivers State.
“The Command under my watch will not accept indiscipline, compromise and connivance of officers with illegal oil dealers because any officer caught aiding and abetting illegal bunkerers would be rid of all his uniforms and accoutrements and treated like a criminal”.
The Rivers NSCDC Boss said the suspects will have their day in court.
He also beckoned on the public to provide the Command with credible and actionable Intelligence that would help to clamp down on oil thieves in the State.