Civil Defence uncovers illegal oil refinery, arrests 4 suspects in Niger

Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, have arrested four suspects in connection with an illegal petroleum refinery and sale of adulterated petroleum in Sabon-Wuse, Tafa LGA of the state.

The spokesman of the command, Nasiru D. Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement in Minna Sunday.

He said the oil refinery was discovered by the Anti-Vandal Squad of the command where dozens of drums of adulterated petroleum products were mixed and sold to vehicle owners.

Abdullahi gave the names of the suspects as Abdullahi Musa (45) from Jigawa State, Hussein Sulaiman (25) from Nasarawa State, Murtala Mohammed (37) and Mohammed Sanusi (35) both from Kano State.

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He said an apartment used for soap production was also uncovered with many drums and chemicals; saying that during interrogation, the suspects could not produce any license of operation.

He also said the state commandant of the corps in Niger State, Joachin Okafor, had directed a total war against all acts of vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure in the state.

“Based on the available intelligence, our Antivandal Squad swung into action and four suspects operating an oil dump site were arrested. On the site, we met their production gadgets and materials used for mixing Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).

“From the confessional statements volunteered by the suspects; they confirmed that they operated an oil dump site where LPFO popularly known as Black oil is being adulterated by mixing condemned oil, crude oil and premium motor spirit to finally produce LPFO,”  he explained.

The PRO said on the day of the arrest, the suspects were in the process of mixing three drums of crude oil using a concrete container.

He said findings by the corps revealed that many innocent motorists had bought the adulterated petroleum from the suspects without knowing, saying that using such product could cause damage to vehicle engines.