Four unlawful oil refining facilities were reportedly demolished by members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Cawthome Channel One, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State.
According to the corps, suspected oil thieves had broken into Sahara Oil-owned buildings and pipes, stolen crude with the intention of setting up an unauthorized refining facility.
This was revealed in a statement released on Monday night, January 22, in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by Olufemi Ayodele, the NSCDC spokesman for Rivers State Command.
He claims that after receiving information from its marine unit, NSCDC agents stepped in to put an end to the illegal conduct and potentially capture the suspects.
The statement read,
“With a renewed vigour to combat the menace of illegal oil bunkering activities, vandalism of oil pipelines and illegal dealings in petroleum products, the Marine Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers State Command, has foiled the operations of owners of local refineries in Cawthome Channel One, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“The NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Audu, has zero tolerance for all acts of economic sabotage, hence, he directed the Rivers State Commandant, Basil Igwebueze, to step up intelligence and protection of all critical national assets and infrastructure both on land and the waterways.
“The success of the Marine Unit hinged on credible intelligence that some suspects were carrying out illegal oil bunkering activities at Cawthome Channel in Damakiri Area, having vandalised Sahara Oil Well Heads and pipes; they went further to siphon crude oil and establish a local refining site in the area.”
“with full determination to combat the menace of illegal oil bunkering activities on the waterways; the Marine Unit swung into action by taking charge of the environment.
“Notably, the suspects took to their heels upon sighting the marine operatives.
“The State Commandant ordered massive destruction of all materials used in carrying out the illegal oil bunkering and over four different refining stations have been destroyed altogether.”
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