By Peregba Jerry
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two suspected crude oil thieves over alleged involvement in pipeline vandalism and illegal oil refinery operations in Rivers State.
The NSCDC spokesperson, CSC Babawale Afolabi, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Afolabi stated that the suspects were arrested by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) after an intelligence tip-off by well-meaning Nigerians.
He listed items recovered from the suspects to include one motorcycle, eight illegal refineries, also known as cooking pots, situated at different locations, a welding tongue, and a bottle of crude oil.
According to him, also recovered from them was a list containing the names of accomplices and a multinational oil company’s truck line points.
He, however, emphasised that the seized illegal refineries were destroyed due to their inability to be moved.
The statement further disclosed that, upon interrogation of the suspects, the alleged vandals confessed to having been on their way to refine crude oil illegally obtained from vandalising an oil pipeline belonging to a multinational oil company.
He added that the suspects mentioned the names of five other accomplices who are currently at large.
Afolabi said that the CG’s SIS was making efforts to ensure the other suspects were arrested and brought in for further interrogation and investigation, after which they would be charged in court.
He reinstated NSCDC Commandant General Ahmed Audi’s commitment and resolute readiness to end the nefarious activities of crude oil theft, illegal dealings in petroleum products and oil pipeline vandalism.
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