NSCDC renews onslaught against economic saboteurs

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi has said that the NSCDC under his watch would remain steadfast in fighting against oil theft, vandalism and economic sabotage in the oil sector.

CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer, National Headquarters, Abuja, in a statement, said Dr Audi made this call while reaffirming his determination to wage relentless war against those milking the oil regions through illegal dealings in petroleum products.

The advice came after his operational tour to the Niger Delta in order to boost the morale of the operatives, monitored some major oil installations and the anti-vandal operations in the waterways.

The CG decried the situation in Odagwa community at Etche in Rivers State where the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad had earlier fought and vehemently resisted the illegal operations of pipeline vandals, noting that the corps was poised to fish out their sponsors and prosecute them according to the extant laws of the federation.

He said the CG's team led by Commandant AS Dandaura had made remarkable and undeniable achievements in combating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta as over 65 oil dumps and illegal refineries have been dismantled lately.

“While monitoring oil installation and facilities across the Niger Delta, our men responded swiftly to an Intelligence tip-off that there has been an organised operation of illegal refining of crude oil ongoing in the creeks at Odagwa community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“Upon arrival, the CG's SIS discovered that vandals had manoeuvred through the creeks and accessed the main oil trunk line, connected their installed pipes and channelled the crude into reservoirs being directed through cooking process and later packaged and bagged in Cellophane nylons and Kegs,” the statement said.