The CG’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested two suspects in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.
The suspects, Jeremiah Ufok, 28, and Saviour Patrick, 22, were caught siphoning crude oil from pipelines and refining it into Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) using makeshift local refining equipment, including cooking drums and pots.
Commandant Appolos Dandaura, speaking on the operation, noted that despite a prior arrest of four individuals in the area, criminal activities have persisted.
He reaffirmed the squad’s determination to sustain the crackdown on oil theft, which costs the nation millions of dollars in revenue loss.
“We appreciate the public for their trust in the NSCDC and for providing credible intelligence that led to these arrests. The CG has been briefed, and we have received a direct order to conduct a thorough investigation and track down the sponsors and accomplices who remain at large,” Dandaura stated.
He further revealed that the operation was a result of sustained intelligence, which revealed that a group of notorious oil thieves was engaged in illegal refining at Open River Camp in the Ukwa axis of Abia State. Items recovered from the crime scene included kegs filled with AGO and DPK.
The suspects will face prosecution in a competent court of law after a comprehensive investigation, serving as a deterrent to others involved in similar crimes.
