Oil Theft: NSCDC Dismantled Illegal Bunkery Site In Etche, Rivers State
Acting on the marching order by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni, OFR; emphasized the need to step up the operational and intelligence mechanism in the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure across the nation; the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad has uncovered and dismantled another massive illegal bunkering site in Odagwa community, Etche local government area of Rivers State.
Addressing the newsmen on behalf of the NSCDC Rivers State Commandant Basil Igwebueze, the Command Spokesperson, Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele said the operational tour across the massive forest took the CG’s SIS and the media team 4 hours walk sighting the illegal siphoning of crude oil.
He hinted that the NSCDC Commadant General has unwavering determination in waging continuous war against illegal dealings in petroleum products, oil theft, vandalism of oil pipelines, and all forms of economic sabotage noting that within a very short period, the CG’s SIS has dismantled over 350 illegal bunkering sites in the Niger Delta area while hundreds of suspects have been arrested and prosecuted in the court of competent jurisdiction.
The Rivers State Command spokesperson further relayed that the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad swung into action and arrested 3 suspects while others took to their heels maneuvering the forest due to the terrain.
He narrated how a large multinational’s manifold was invaded through a broken fence, and large industrial hoses were used to siphon crude oil and transmitted through numerous metal galvanized pipes to cooking pots and further stored in reservoirs for onward loading to would-be buyers.
“Having walked through this thick forest, you have practically seen how the manifold and oil wellhead was vandalized by unscrupulous elements, they tapped into the source and buried the hoses and pipes underground, waiting for the multinationals to pump the crude, immediately the pumping starts they commence their nefarious operations through illegal local refining of crude to derive Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), DPK and other products”.
While answering questions on the reason for the continuous rebuilding of some illegal bunkering sites after being dismantled by the security agencies, he said that the fight against illegal bunkering is a strategic war that must be fought with collective will and consciousness, especially with the fact that such acts cause environmental degradation, pollination, and health hazard. Hence, to eradicate the ‘black soot’ the locals and all stakeholders must come to terms with saying no to the operation of illegal local refineries and other activities which cause more harm to the people and the environment as well.
“The fight against oil theft, vandalism, and illegal dealings in petroleum products is non-negotiable as the NSCDC is fully committed to its statutory mandate of safeguarding all critical national assets and infrastructure; this we would do relentlessly and without compromise”.
