The Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General has revealed a substantial illegal oil refining operation in a forest within the Odagwa community of the Etche Local Government Area in Rivers State.
As reported by the NSCDC, the site comprises 10 illegal refineries with an estimated 500,000 litres of crude oil stored in approximately 50 illegally constructed reservoirs.
During a raid on the site, the security agency apprehended five suspects, as disclosed by the NSCDC spokesman for the Rivers State Command, Olufemi Ayodele, during the suspects’ presentation to the press.
Ayodele noted, 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 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.”
