Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has paraded 10 suspects and 15 impounded vehicles caught by operatives of the Corps in Rivers State, while embarking on illegal oil bunkering activities.
Parading the suspects in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Commandant of NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze, said the anti-vandal unit of the Command worked in curtailing the activities of illegal oil bunkerers and vandals in the state.
Igwebueze said though illegal oil bunkerers have devised methods of concealing illegally refined petroleum products in cellophane bags, the eagle eyes of the Command would fish them out while those operating illegal bunkering site would be smoked out without compromise.
He assured that the suspects would be charged to court, after a diligent and thorough investigation, adding that the Legal Unit of the Command would apply and get court order for the forfeiture of the vehicles and the contents, while the proceeds would be remitted to the Proceeds of Crime Account.
He said: “The anti-vandal unit of the Command arrested these 10 suspects and 15 vehicles were also impounded altogether; it should also be noted that these arrests were made possible through credible intelligence received which made our personnel swung into action without delay.
“At Evo Road in GRA Port Harcourt, a suspect, Nse Friday (M) aged 38years was arrested with a Toyota Corolla Car with playe number Rivers ABU77BB conveying AGO concealed in cellophane bags. Mr Onyeka Michael (M) aged 33years was also arrested while in conveyance of AGO concealed in cellophane bags in a Toyota Camry Car Rivers BUG301XA.”
He added: “A bus branded Entraco with number plate Enugu BUF301XA conveying over 1,000 litres of AGO; a Mazda car Rivers AM638DBU and a peach colour Toyota Camry Lagos APP493EJ both conveying about 1,350 litres of AGO concealed in cellophane bags.
“Following a sting operations at Iwofe axis in Obio/Akpor LGA, our men arrest a Volkswagen car Rivers AH570NCH and Toyota Carina with number plate Delta DSS239PP were impounded while conveying 1,300 litres of AGO. The same Team along Elechi area in Port Harcourt City impounded another two Volkswagen cars with number plate Rivers AH84KHE and Enugu BU47ENU; a Toyota Corolla car Ondo 392AE; the three vehicles were in conveyance of 1,700 litres of AGO concealed in cellophane bags.
“During routine patrol along Diobu, Borokiri, Khana and Tai Local Government Area; our Antivandal Squad arrested eight suspects and impounded another five cars, a Kia Spectra Lagos SMK348FU, a Toyota Camry Rivers AND779AA, a Toyota Carina Car Lagos SMK876DM, a Fiat bus Rivers AFM638XA, a Toyota Camry Abia AQ866UMA all in conveyance of about 5,600 litres of AGO.
In addition to these about 16 Drums of illegally refined AGO were also iimpounded which amounted to 3,200 litres”.
The Rivers NSCDC boss further gave an annual score card for the year 2023, noting that the number of arrests made were 176, he gave the number of suspects as 292 and number of convictions 17.
He said a total of 2,345 personnel drawn from the Counter Terrorism Unit, Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives Unit, Special Intelligence Squad, Marine Unit and Antivandal Patrol would be deployed to already identified flash points, markets, worship centers, recreational venues, motor parks, shopping malls, etc during the yuletide.
