The Delta State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has paraded eight suspected oil thieves.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested following the command’s recently-launched Special Tactical Team, code-named “Operation Show No Mercy To Crude Oil Thieves, Pipeline Vandals Amongst Other Crimes and Criminalities” in the state.
In a statement on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, DSC Emeka Peters Okwechime, said that barely 24 hours into the team’s operations, they arrested some suspected crude oil thieves and vandals along the Warri Sapele Road.
Okwechime said some suspects said to be illegally dealing in petroleum products suspected to be Dual Purpose Kerosine (DPK) and Automated Gasoline Oil (AGO) were also arrested.
According to the statement, “The team also busted and sealed up an illegal dumpsite used in dealing and storing of illegally refined petroleum product suspected to be AGO close to the Niger Cat junction in Uvwie LGA of Delta State which led to the arrest of two other suspects who gave their names as Aminu Garuba 32 years (m) and Usman Tasiu 19 years (m).
“The team also swooped on black marketers at the Warri Sapele highway, who are illegally dealing in petroleum products suspected to be AGO where several drums of illegally refined products were destroyed and two suspects arrested.”
He said the arrested suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
Recall that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) had recently decried huge oil theft, which they said was dwindling the nation’s economy.
