NSCDC discovers illegal refineries in Rivers forest

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad discovered a big illicit oil refining site in a forest in Odagwa Community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State.

Over ten clandestine refineries were discovered at the site, with an estimated 500,000 liters of crude oil contained in approximately 50 illegally constructed reservoirs, and five individuals were apprehended.

Olufemi Ayodele, spokesman for the NSCDC’s Rivers State Command, revealed this on Monday while parading the suspects and leading journalists around the location.

The discovery, according to Ayodele, was based on credible intelligence.

He said, “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.

“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 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 with a capacity with a capacity of 50,000 liters were seen, with one big pumping machine, receiver tanks, 25 rubber hoses used for pumping crude oil, and many long galvanized pipes with unquantified liters of crude oil and illegally refined automotive gas oil (diesel) stored in six large reservoirs and the other 20 smaller reservoirs drugged in the ground.”

The arrested suspects include Favour Chukwu, 29; Desmond Umeh, 25; Godwin Amos, 22; Bineace Galion, 38; and Goodnews David, 23.

While emphasizing that further investigation is underway, the state NSCDC spokeswoman stated that the suspects would be prosecuted.