Rivers State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) has uncovered an illegal refinery concealed in a fish pond in Oyigbo, Rivers State.
The command also paraded 12 suspects involved in oil bunkering and illegal refining of petroleum products.
Rivers State Commandant of NSCDC , Muhammed Lawal Haruna, who conducted journalists round a private residence located at Happylife in Mbano Camp, Oyigbo, said the suspects were using an abandoned fish pond and GP tanks to store illegally refined adulterated petroleum products.
He said the owner of the illegal business, as well as boys working for him, had been arrested.
Haruna also took journalists on a tour of the command’s exhibit site at Iriebe where impounded trucks, vehicles, as well as stolen oil pipes were kept.
He said the command’s anti vandal team had destroyed 15 illegal refineries, three illegal dumps and sealed off a filling station dealing in adulterated petroleum products.
The commandant further said 22 suspects were arrested, 12 trucks, one Toyota Camry and one tipper were impounded, and that hundreds of gallons containing adulterated AGO were destroyed.
“A truck loaded with illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and another truck fully loaded with petroleum products were impounded by the anti vandal team and three suspects arrested. The trucks are here at the exhibit yard.
“The anti vandal team also impounded a 35,000-litre truck of illegally refined AGO and three pumping machines with no suspects at Okporo community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
“On May 29, 2017, the anti vandal team besieged a filling station and arrested three suspects and a Dangote truck filled with illegal DPK and AGO in nylon bags and drums.
“Also, on May 31, a truck containing 33,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products and two suspects were arrested on Woji Road, and on June 7, 2017, at Ogojago Sandfill a 33,000-litre truck conveying suspected illegally refined petroleum products was apprehended, with a suspect.”
“Also, at Woji waterside, three suspects and a 40,000-litre truck conveying adulterated petroleum products were arrested, while three suspects with an 18,000-litre truck containing suspected adulterated AGO were arrested at Iriebe toll gate.
“Two male suspects were arrested by the anti vandal team of the NSCDC at No. 26 Happylife Avenue in Mbano Camp of Oyigbo. The suspects were caught using their residence as an illegal petroleum dump. 11 GP tanks were found, four were empty while seven were filled with products suspected to be AGO illegally refined. An empty cylinder was also found at the site of the illegal dump.”
He concluded that the command would not relent in its drive to stamp out the activities of oil bunkerers and those involved in adulteration of petroleum products.
