The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested eight suspects in its fight against oil thieves.
The state commandant of the corps, Edenabu Eweka, disclosed this on Tuesday, saying that the suspects were arrested in two separate operations within the last week.
Eweka added that the corps seized a truck laden with 45,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.
According to him, three suspects were arrested at an illegal refinery site at Kolo in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa, with the truck already filled with the illegally refined product.
He said that in the second operation on February 11, five suspected vandals were caught in the act at the Krokrosei-Azuzuama pipeline in Southern Ijaw LGA in the state.
The commandant said that out of the five suspects, four were identified as suspected vandals, while one was a buyer of the stolen crude.
“Our anti-oil theft and vandalism operations have paid off as we have seized the 45,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
“This should signal to all those involved in oil theft and vandalism that NSCDC will not give them space to operate their illicit acts in Bayelsa. We shall take them to court and prosecute them diligently,” Eweka said.
NSCDC arrests 8 suspected oil thieves in Bayelsa
