NSCDC Bursts Illegal Oil Refilling Site, Arrests Six Suspects in Rivers
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested six suspects for allegedly dealing in illegal petroleum products.
Four of the suspects were arrested yesterday, after operatives of the NSCDC on a credible information, stormed the illegal oil refilling site, behind LUMCO filling station along Iwofe Road, Rumuepirikom community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The NSCDC Commandant, Michael Ogar, who led the operation told journalists at the scene of crime, that Anti-vandal land patrol team of the Command effected the arrest and recovered about seven drums of Petroleum products suspected to be counterfeited and adulterated engine oil.
Four of the suspects arrested for the illegal oil refilling included Uche Udeh (42), Simon Nwigwe (52), Ifeanyi Ndeme (54) and Ikechuckwu Ejefobi (43).
According to Ogar “The suspects were arrested for illegal dealings in petroleum products and the following items were recovered as exhibits at the point of arrest: Seven drums of petroleum products suspected to be adulterated engine oil, 6 buckets of substandard grease, an Ash coloured Volkswagen Van with registration number RIVERS BNY 709 XY, wooden templates for designing suspected fake labels, 18 empty kegs of 25litres each, 50, 25 and 10 litres of counterfeited chemicals”.
The NSCDC also explained that “preliminary investigation report shows that the suspects carved out stencils with Total and Mobil Oil emblems which are used as stickers on the packaged products before distribution to would be buyers.”
He hinted that the empty drums meant for conveyance of the products were 300 while other drums with adulterated contents were 33.
Ogar who expressed worries that the crime was being perpetrated behind a filling station, said both the illegal site and the station would be sealed.
“As you can see that this illegal site is located right at the back of LUMCO Filling Station in Iwofe area; the filling station would be sealed with immediate effect while the owner would be invited for questioning; I can assure you that after the conclusion of thorough investigation, all persons indicted or found culpable would be charged to Court of competent jurisdiction.
“We are going to ask the court to forfeit this filling station and the premises to the federal government.”
In another development the anti-vandal squad of the Command, also arrested two other suspects involved in illegal dealings in petroleum products in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
