The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended three suspects involved in the vandalization of oil pipelines, oil theft, and illegal dealings in petroleum products.
The arrest took place at Umuodo, Umuajuloke community in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State.
CSC Babawale Afolabi, Public Relations Officer at the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja, announced that the arrests were the result of sustained intelligence efforts that uncovered an illegal oil refinery at the site.
Numerous illegally refined petroleum products, suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), were discovered.
“Based on credible intelligence, we swung into action and arrested three suspects at the crime scene with large quantities of illegally refined AGO already stored inside metallic drums, while others were inside cellophane bags,” Afolabi stated.
The arrested suspects, all women, have been identified as Happiness Nwankwo, 45, an indigene of Omuma in Rivers State; Nnoma Nwankwo, 30, also from Rivers State; and Favour Amadi, also an indigene of Omuma.
Recovered exhibits at the point of arrest include numerous drum ovens containing stolen and siphoned crude oil undergoing processing, industrial hoses used to tap into wellheads to syphon crude oil, large quantities of stolen crude oil stored inside cellophane bags and kegs, many metal and plastic buckets, wheelbarrows, shovels, and galvanized metal pipes.
The statement also indicated that an investigation has commenced to determine the involvement of the suspects and the identities of their sponsors.
Those found culpable at the end of the investigation will be charged in court.
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