The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Rivers State has revealed the discovery of an illicit refinery in the Adobi-Akwa settlement, situated within the Etche Local Government Area.
Operatives from the NSCDC’s Anti-Vandal Squad, acting on intelligence reports, swiftly deployed to the area where the clandestine refinery was found. Commandant Basil Igwebueze, leading the operation, guided journalists through a dense forest approximately 6-7 kilometers away from the town center, providing firsthand evidence of the illegal activities.
According to Peters Ibiso, the Head of the Anti-Vandal Squad, the team uncovered where pipeline vandals had tapped into the wellhead of an undisclosed multinational company.
The perpetrators had ingeniously connected pipes to numerous cooking pots, indicating the crude oil refining process was in full swing.
Ibiso explained, “Upon receiving a tip-off, the anti-vandal operatives swung into action to uncover this illegal oil bunkering site. They were in this forest for two days, having cordoned the area. Unfortunately, the perpetrators, upon sighting our men, took to their heels, but an investigation is still ongoing to arrest such defiant elements.”
The operation exposed the sophisticated techniques employed by these illegal operators, from the extraction of crude oil through the vandalism of pipelines to the refining process conducted in makeshift ovens.
The refined product was then channeled through pipes into reservoirs for storage before being sold to buyers.
Commandant Igwebueze emphasized the NSCDC’s unwavering commitment to combatting illegal activities in the petroleum sector. He urged the public to continue providing actionable intelligence to aid in the apprehension of economic saboteurs operating in the state.
“Our commitment to continuously work in tandem with the prosecutorial mandate of the Corps to rid the state of economic saboteurs remains unchanged,” Igwebueze stated. “We value our informants and most especially the intelligence-driven tip-off received from time to time.”
He reassured the public that their identities would be protected, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust and confidence in the NSCDC’s efforts to safeguard the nation’s critical assets and infrastructure from the clutches of daring vandals.
