Aerial view of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant at Bonny Island in Rivers State on March 22, 2013. Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has threatened to shut down production in April for nine days in the entire Nembe Creek Truck Line (NCTL) to remove a number of bunkering points on pipelines vandalised by oil thieves in the region. "Whenever we observe a spill, or have a spill on our lines, we shut down production to depressurize and isolate the line, only then can we safely repare our lines because it is then safe to manipulate the line", said Jurgen Jonzen, SPDC corporate pipeline asset manager. Last year, 157 bunkering points were removed and 116 were leaking on the whole SPDC exploitation. Since 2009, SPDC has exprienced an upsurge in vandalisation of pipeline network by criminals causing severe environmental devastation of the region and forcing the company to lose 60 000 barrels daily this year. AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against oil theft, uncovering illegal refining sites and arresting nine suspects in a forested area along the boundary between Rivers and Abia states. This operation is part of the Corps’ ongoing efforts to combat illegal bunkering and oil theft in the region.
According to a statement released by NSCDC Public Relations Officer Babawale Afolabi, the arrests were made following a strategic surveillance operation conducted by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGsSIS). The intelligence-led operation identified and targeted the illegal refinery site, leading to the successful apprehension of individuals actively engaged in refining stolen crude oil.
“We apprehended nine suspects caught in the act of illegally refining stolen crude extracted from a vandalized oil wellhead,” Afolabi announced. “We also discovered an ongoing construction of a local refinery with the capacity to produce 60,000 litres of crude at once. At the site, we found large hoses and galvanized metal pipes used to transfer stolen crude across the processing channels.”
The arrested suspects include:
- Oghene Wede, 32
- Moses James, 25
- Chidi Nwosu, 53
- Samuel John, 24
- Emmanuel Paul, 20
- Oghenevo Nwebi, 43
- Martina Whinnypeter, 38
- Nwabuchi Nwogu, 41
- David Okere, 20
The NSCDC spokesperson stated that the interrogation of the suspects is underway, with further investigations to follow before they are charged to court.
During the raid, the NSCDC discovered an extensive setup at the illegal site, which included over 15 modular ovens, four fabricated reservoirs, and 30 pits dug for storing processed automotive gas oil (AGO). The operation also resulted in the recovery of various items used in the illegal refining process, such as:
- A RWD 5.0 GFE-6500 power generating set
- Two yellow-colored pumping machines
- Metal and plastic buckets
- Cutlasses
- Saws
- Mats
- Welding machines
- Galvanized metal pipes
- Different heavy-duty hoses
- AGO illegally processed in cooking ovens
The NSCDC’s successful operation underscores the agency’s commitment to eradicating illegal oil activities in Nigeria. This significant bust not only disrupts the operations of those involved but also serves as a deterrent to others engaged in similar illegal activities.
As the investigation continues, the NSCDC remains vigilant in its mission to protect Nigeria’s oil resources from theft and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
