Ugo Nosiri, Owerri
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Imo State Command has paraded nine suspected crude oil vandals nabbed at an illegal refinery at Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of the state.
The Imo State Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Mathew Ovye, while parading the suspects in Owerri said operatives of the Corps in collaboration with a private security outfit stormed an illegal refinery located at Abacheke in Ohaji Egbema where crude oil acquired through pipeline vandalism was being refined.
Mr. Ovye said the operatives recovered a substantial amount of crude oil and refined automotive gas oil otherwise known as diesel.
The Command had two weeks ago paraded six persons for allegedly being in possession of about thirty thousand litres of adulterated automotive gas oil in the state.
“We will not let go, we will hunt them to the last person. These people have diverse means of loading this product concealed in a cellophane bag, you wouldn’t know If you are not an expert.
“We follow them to the creeks, we will get them. We are well prepared. Already we have sent our personnel to all the flash points, malls, motor parks.”
Mr. Ovye said the suspects would appear in court as soon as investigations were concluded and added that the Command had numerous cases of pipeline vandalism pending in the courts.
Some of the suspects who were artisans denied involvement in crude oil theft but admitted that they were hired to convey the products from the bush to the road by the dealers.
In another development, NSCDC Imo State commandant disclosed that it has deployed over one thousand six hundred personnel to complement the efforts of other security agencies in guaranteeing security during and after the yuletide.
Mr. Ovye said the Command was ready to ensure adequate protection of lives and property and called on those wishing to return to the state during the yuletide to do so without fear of molestation.
