The resilient pursuit by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in safeguarding the critical infrastructures of the Nigerian state especial the oil and gas infrastructures has continued to yield major milestones.

According to the disclosure made by the Corp’s Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad in Rivers State, Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele, the NSCDC has exposed a illegal crude oil bunkering site at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Parading the five suspects at the Corps Rivers State command headquarters in Port Harcourt in presence of the Press, The Corp’s Spokesperson culminated the laudable feat to precisius intelligent tips received on nefarious activities going on the area. He further detailed that an estimated 500,000 litres of crude oil contained in about 50 illegally constructed reservoirs were uncovered by the special officers of the corps dispatched to the area.

 “The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni, OFR has reiterated over time that all acts of economic sabotage would be fought to stand still as suspects arrested would face the full wrath of the law irrespective of their sponsors.

“In furtherance, the CG gave a marching order to the Special Intelligence Squad charging them to be more thorough and results oriented in their operations

 “Based on credible intelligence the CG’s SIS swung into action and uncovered 10 illegal local refineries in a forest located at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State where 5 suspects were caught in the act of illegally refining crude oil,” Superintendent Ayodele posited.

Identifying the five suspects as Favour Chukwu (M) 29 years, Desmond Umeh (M) 25 years, Godwin Amos (M) 22years, Bineace Galion (M) 38years and Goodnews David (M) 23 years, Ayodele vowed the command will not leave any stone unturned in seeing that the culprits are brought to  justice.

Speaking further on this laudable feat achieved by the NSCDC is the head Rivers State Command, Commandant Basil Igwebueze, who further gave details on the crude oil source of the cartel as coming from the Oil Well Head of Imo River 2 Oil and Gas field at Odagwa in Etche owned by Heirs Energies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) joint venture.

He stated that crude oil was being siphoned through different channels by connecting galvanized and eulogized this unprecedented feat made by officers of his command as worthy of good conducts and display of professionalism.

 “The uncovering of this massive illegal oil bunkering site is a landmark achievement and an indication that the NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of all critical national assets and infrastructure will continue to combat crude oil theft with a renewed vigour even as we work in synergy with sisters security agencies to salvage the nation’s economy from saboteurs.”

“Let me reassure you that thorough investigation has commenced to unravel those behind the scene while all suspects arrested in connection with this act of vandalism and crude oil theft would be charged to Court of competent jurisdiction and their sponsors or cartels would be trailed and brought to book without compromise.”

Details of command discovery at the illegal crude oil bunkering site include: 10 different cooking pots of 50,000 litres capacity, one pumping machine, receiver tanks, 25 rubber hoses, long galvanized pipes, unspecified quantity of crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil stored in six very large reservoirs and 20 smaller underground reservoirs.