RIVERS: NSCDC Uncovers Another Oil Bunkering Site, Recovers About 20,000Ltrs Of AGO

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an illegal bunkering site and recovered about 20,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in the Umuedeokwara community of Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’SIS) discovered the site in a thick forest where crude oil was being tapped, stored, and refined locally.

A statement signed on Tuesday by the Corps national spokesperson, CSC Afolabi Babawale, said the operation, led by Deputy Commandant Appolos Dandaura, was initiated following a tip-off.

Babawale said the squad discovered a sophisticated setup used by the suspects to refine crude oil stored in large tarpaulin reservoirs.

Upon arrival of operatives, the suspects fled through the creek.

Other items recovered include large quantities of siphoned crude oil stored in tarpaulin reservoirs, various sizes of aluminium and plastic buckets, galvanized metallic fabricated pipes, heavy-duty industrial hoses, and personal items believed to belong to the fleeing suspects.

Dandaura said, “Like we always reiterate that our operations are intelligence-based and we value every piece of information and preserve the integrity of our informants; we swung into action, combed the entire forest and discovered where the suspects were refining crude oil locally after storage in large trampoline reservoirs and further packaged them in cellophane bags and sacks.

“These unscrupulous saboteurs connected fabricated and galvanized metallic pipes to the trunk lines of multinational oil pipeline installations with inserted valves; the suspects, however, took to their heels through the creeks due to the terrain upon sighting our men.

“The following exhibits were marked at the crime scene: about 20,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) stored in cellophane bags, large quantities of siphoned crude oil stored in tarpaulin reservoirs, different sizes of aluminium and plastic buckets, galvanized metallic Fabricated pipes, heavy-duty industrial hoses and items of clothing belonging to the suspects”.

The NSCDC vowed to intensify its operations to frustrate the activities of oil thieves and increase oil production across the nation.

RIVERS: NSCDC Uncovers Another Oil Bunkering Site, Recovers About 20,000Ltrs Of AGO is first published on The Whistler Newspaper