Authorities from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Rivers State have detained five individuals on suspicion of illicitly siphoning 500,000 litres of crude oil from pipelines within the state.
SC Olufemi Ayodele, the spokesperson for NSCDC in Rivers, made this revelation in a press release circulated to journalists in Port Harcourt.
The successful operation unfolded during a raid on 10 unauthorized bunkering locations in Odagwa community, Etche, Rivers.
“An estimated 500,000 litres of crude oil were discovered, stored in approximately 50 illicitly erected reservoirs situated in around 10 illicit refineries,” shared Ayodele.
The breakthrough stemmed from reliable intelligence that spurred the special intelligence squad into action, leading to the uncovering of 10 illegal refineries in the Odawa forest.
A variety of equipment, including 10 cooking pots, a pumping machine, receiver tanks, 25 rubber hoses, and numerous galvanized pipes, were seized from the sites.
The seized pipes, containing an unspecified amount of crude oil and adulterated diesel, were connected to six sizable reservoirs and 20 smaller underground reservoirs.
Characterizing the activities of oil thieves in the state as unscrupulous and condemnable, Ayodele affirmed that the NSCDC would sustain close collaborations with other security agencies to effectively combat the scourge of oil theft in the region.