The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has discovered and dismantled a massive illegal bunkering site in the Odagwa community, Etche local government area of Rivers state.
It was gathered that the operation was carried out by the Special Intelligence Squad set up by the corps’ Commandant-General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to step up the operational and intelligence mechanism in the protection of critical national assets and Infrastructure across the country.
Speaking in Port Harcourt on behalf of the Rivers State Commandant, Basil Igwebueze, the command’s spokesperson, SP Olufemi Ayodele said the operational tour across the massive forest took the operatives four hours.
He said the Commandant-General had the determination to wage a continuous war against illegal dealings in petroleum products, oil theft, vandalism of oil pipelines, and all forms of economic sabotage.
He said the special squad within a short period, dismantled over 350 illegal bunkering sites in the Niger Delta area and arrested and prosecuted hundreds of suspects.
He said the squad swung into action and arrested three suspects while others took to their heels manoeuvring the forest due to the terrain.
He explained that 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 galvanised pipes to cooking pots and further stored in reservoirs for onward loading to would-be buyers.
Ayodele said: “Having walked through this thick forest, you have practically seen how the manifold and oil wellhead were 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 others.”
He said that the fight against illegal bunkering was a strategic war that must be fought with collective will and consciousness, especially as such acts caused environmental degradation, pollution, and health hazards.
He said to eradicate black soot, the locals and all stakeholders must stop operations of illegal refineries and other activities causing more harm to the people and the environment.
He said: “On this note, I wish to reiterate the words of the NSCDC boss that ‘the fight against oil theft, vandalism and illegal dealings in petroleum product 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.”
