The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has impounded two heavy-duty trucks and four vehicles in Rivers State laden with over 90,000 litres of illegally obtained crude oil and over 1,400 litres of illegally refined petroleum products.

Four suspects were also arrested by the Anti-Vandal Land Patrol Team of the NSCDC’s state command over alleged illegal dealings in petroleum products in the state.

Parading the suspects and exhibits on Friday at the Command’s Exhibit Yard in Obio- Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), the NSCDC Commandant in Rivers, Michael Ogar, noted that the trucks were intercepted while conveying the illegally obtained crude oil to Akwa Ibom State.

Ogar explained that the four vehicles were impounded at different locations across the State.

He said while the two trucks were laden with about 90,000 litres of illegally obtained crude oil, two of the vehicles were conveying 2,250 litres of crude oil while the remaining two vehicles were laden with 1,450 litres of illegally refined kerosene and diesel popularly known as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

The NSCDC boss disclosed that the suspects will be charged to court, while the impounded exhibits will be forfeited and the money remitted to the Federal Government coffers.

According to Ogar, following the directive from the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the command has refrained from burning impounded illegal petroleum products and illegal refinery sites in order to prevent air, land or aquatic pollution.

He added that the command has generated over N100 million in the last 10 months through forfeiture of impounded exhibits.

The NSCDC state commandant affirmed that the command will not relent in its clampdown on illegal oil bunkering activities and pipeline vandalism in Rivers, maintaining that prompt intelligence-sharing with security agencies would lead to the arrest of perpetrators. (Channels TV)

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