The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended five suspects involved in a significant crude oil theft operation in Rivers State. The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) captured the suspects at a notorious area known locally as “Sambisa Forest” in Umuedeokwara, Odagwa Community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State.
According to the NSCDC spokesman, the suspects were siphoning crude oil from a flowline, using an elaborate setup involving a manifold connected to a large dug-in reservoir. The stolen oil—estimated to exceed 100,000 liters—was stored in plastic bags and sacks, ready for illegal distribution.
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“This breakthrough came from credible intelligence provided by locals, alerting us to suspicious activities in the area,” the spokesman said. Acting swiftly, the operatives discovered the large-scale operation, where crude oil had been siphoned into an underground pit and packed in cellophane bags and sacks along the Rivers and Abia state border.
During the preliminary investigation, all five suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the illegal operation. Recovered evidence includes vast quantities of crude oil, plastic bags, drums, jerry cans, industrial hoses, and other tools typically used for siphoning and transporting stolen oil.
This operation is part of NSCDC’s ongoing efforts to crack down on crude oil theft, a major economic threat in the region.
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