NSCDC arrest 14 suspected oil thieves in Rivers

Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, says it has arrested 14 suspected oil thieves in Rivers State in the last five weeks as part of its commitment to combating nefarious activities.

State commandant of NSCDC, Mohammed Haruna, while parading the suspects, said it was no longer going to be business as usual for oil thieves in the state.

Haruna warned that any attempt to get close to oil pipelines would meet stiff resistance from the anti-vandal team of NSCDC.

He stated that between January and the first week of February 2019, the Corps, apart from arresting 14 suspects, also impounded two barges and six trucks used in illegal oil bunkering.

He said: “On 1st January 2019, at Alakiri, a barge containing unquantifiable litres of suspected adulterated AGO was impounded. On 2nd January 2019 at Aluu, a white truck loaded with suspected illegally acquired crude oil with plate number EBM174XA was impounded”.