NSCDC Detains 8 Suspects In Delta As Part Of “Operation Show No Mercy To Crude Oil Thieves”

Eight alleged oil thieves have been caught in the drag net of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as a result of its “Operation Show No Mercy To Crude Oil Thieves, Pipeline Vandals, Amongst Other Crimes and Criminalities,” launched just 24 hours ago by the Delta State Commandant of the corps, Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun.

According to www.bigpenngr.com, the suspects who were arrested and paraded in Warri over the weekend were caught illegally dealing in petroleum products, such as Automated Gasoline Oil AGO and Dual Purpose Kerosine DPK, along the Warri Sapele road, in Uvwie and the Ogwashi-Uku axis of the state.

The Corp Public Relations Officer, Dsc Emeka Peters Okwechime, confirmed the development and stated that the operation was carried out in response to a presidential directive given to the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Abubakar Audi Ahmed, ordering him to stop the theft of crude oil and the vandalism of oil pipelines by the end of December 2022 at the very latest.

According to Okwechime, the CG issued the orders and instructed all state commandants to ruthlessly hunt down and prosecute any pipeline vandals and crude oil thieves in their respective states. 

Salisu Ibrahim, 22, Idris Ilia, 23, and Usman Adam, 32, were among the suspects detained as a result of the sting operation and paraded before journalists in Warri for a variety of crimes committed throughout the state

He disclosed that the team also busted and sealed up an illegal dump site near the Niger Cat junction in Uvwie LGA of Delta State, used to illegally store and deal in Automated Gasoline Oil.

Aminu Garuba, 32, and Usman Tasiu, 19, he claimed, were two additional suspects who were apprehended as a result of the operation.

The team also pounced on black marketers suspected of dealing in Automated Gasoline Oil (AGO), destroying several drums of the illegally refined fuel and arresting two suspects along the Warri-Sapele highway.

One Mrs. Blessing Ojewale (f), 40 years old, was also paraded by the NSCDC image maker for  illegally dealing in Dual Purpose Kerosine DPK, which was suspected to be concealed in about 30 polythene sacks and loaded into a Toyota Sienna bus with the registration number LSR 832 CZ. 

The driver allegedly fled into the bush when he saw the NSCDC men on September 12, 2022, around 1600 hours, while she was being held by the Commandant Special Tactical Team at Ebendo along Kwale Road, according to Okwechime.

Similarly, on September 12, 2022, at around 1930 hrs., the Commandant Special Tactical Team arrested one Mr. Idogor Sunday at Kwale Junction in Ogwashi uku along the Asaba Kwale highway. He was found in possession of about 27 numbers of 25 liter Jerry cans of petroleum product suspected to be Dual Purpose Kerosene DPK loaded in a Mitsubishi Space Runner bus with Registration Number CL 374 ABC.

He declared that sting operations and raids would continue until the state was free of crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

According to Okwechime, the suspects will be charged with crimes after the investigation is complete so they can face the full force of the law and act as a deterrent to potential criminals.