Following the assumption of office of the Rivers State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Commandant Joachin Okafor, the command has arrested seven suspects for illegal dealings in petroleum products, impounded a barge and 3 Boats laden with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
Addressing the newsmen at the crime scene, the command helmsman said; he has come to the state to wage war against economic saboteurs syphoning crude oil through vandalism of pipelines, operation of illegal bunkering sites, conveyance of illegally refined products amongst others.
Commandant Okafor relayed that 2 suspects were arrested alongside a badge containing an unqualified illegally refined automotive gas oil.
He told the newsmen that the 2 suspects were caught scooping the product from the barge and loading them in cellophane bags for onwards conveyance to yet to be identified destination.
The Rivers State Commandant further paraded another 5 suspects who were arrested by the Marine Squad of the command; nemesis caught up with them at Tombia-Iwofe axis along the waterways. Preliminary reports shows that they were arrested with 3 Boats laden with unquantified litres of AGO.
“Our continuous war against Crude oil theft is motivated by our resolve and commitment to combat illegal bunkering activities in the coastal areas thereby increasing the production of oil in the nation. Safeguarding critical assets and Infrastructure is our core mandate and as an Operational Commandant my administration will restore sanctity in the State, the Corps is against all acts of environmental degradation and pollution leading to health hazards; the glory of our economy will certainly be restored because it will not be business as usual for those stealing the nation’s crude oil”
The Commandant noted that a thorough investigation would be made to unravel those behind the unscrupulous acts; the suspects would definitely have their time in the Court of competent jurisdiction.
