Eight Suspected Oil Thieves Arrested In Bayelsa Community

The Bayelsa Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) announced on Tuesday that it has apprehended eight individuals as part of its ongoing efforts to combat oil theft in the state.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Edenabu Eweka, revealed that these suspects were captured during two separate operations conducted within the past week.

Eweka explained that the corps successfully confiscated a truck containing 45,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) that is believed to have been illegally refined.

Further elaborating on the arrests, he stated that three suspects were caught at an illegal refinery site in Kolo, within the Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa.

The truck they were apprehended with had already been loaded with the illicitly refined product.

In the second operation, which took place on February 11, five individuals suspected of vandalizing pipelines were caught in the act at the Krokrosei-Azuzuama pipeline in the Southern Ijaw LGA of the state.

Eweka clarified that out of the five suspects, four were identified as suspected vandals, while one was identified as a buyer of the stolen crude oil.

”Our anti-oil theft and vandalism operations have paid off as we have seized the 45,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.

”This goes to send a strong signal to all those involved in oil theft and vandalism that the 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.

The commandant emphasized that the NSCDC, an organization committed to environmental responsibility, opts to confiscate the products and surrender them to the federal government upon the conviction of suspects.

He highlighted that incinerating the confiscated products only exacerbates environmental degradation.