NSCDC uncovers massive illegal oil refinery site in Rivers forest

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says its operatives have discovered a massive illegal oil refinery with about 10 reservoirs in a forest in Odagwa community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Spokesman of the Corps in the Rivers State Command, Olufemi Ayodele, who disclosed this while parading arrested suspects behind the illegal refinery before newsmen on Tuesday, said the discovery was made by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad.

According to Ayodele, the illegal site had 10 illegal refineries with an estimated 500, 000 litres of crude oil contained in about 50 illegally constructed reservoirs.

The NSCDC spokesman stated that the agency arrested five suspects during a raid on the site which was uncovered based on credible intelligence gathered.

“The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, has reiterated over time that all acts of economic sabotage would be fought to a standstill as suspects arrested would face the full wrath of the law, irrespective of their sponsors,” Ayodele said in a statement.

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“In furtherance, the CG gave a marching order to the Special Intelligence Squad, charging them to be more thorough and results-oriented in their operations.

“Based on credible intelligence. the CG’s SIS swung into action and uncovered 10 illegal local refineries in a forest located at Odagwa Community in the Etche LGA of Rivers State where five suspects were caught in the act of illegally refining crude oil.

“While conducting an operational tour across the large thick forest about 10 different cooking pots of 50,000 litres capacity were seen with one big pumping machine, reservoir tanks, 25 rubber hoses used for pumping crude oil and many long galvanised pipes with unquantified litres of crude oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil stored in six large reservoirs and other 20 smaller reservoirs dug in the ground.

“The arrested suspects are Favour Chukwu, 29; Desmond Umeh, 25; Godwin Amos, 22; Bineace Galion, 38; and Goodnews David, 23,” he said, adding that they would be made to face prosecution at the end of investigations.

Also speaking during the parade of the suspects, yhe Commandant of the Rivers State Command of the NSCDC, Basil Igwebueze, also condemned what the ‘unrepentant act by ‘unscrupulous elements who tapped into the oil wellhead of ‘Heirs Energies Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited located around Imo River 2 Oil and Gas field at Odagwa in Etche.

“The uncovering of this massive illegal oil bunkering site is a landmark achievement and an indication that the NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of all critical national assets and infrastructure will continue to combat crude oil theft with a renewed vigour even as we work in synergy with sisters security agencies to salvage the nation’s economy from saboteurs,” he said.

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