Civil defence uncovers suspected illegal petroleum refinery

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi Command, says it has uncovered a suspected illegal petroleum refinery in Abakaliki.

The state commandant of the corps, Francis Nnadi, said this at a news briefing in Abakaliki on Monday.

Mr Nnadi said that four suspected oil thieves involved in the illegal transportation of the product were arrested.

He said that they impounded an articulated vehicle, with plate number – ABC 624 XC, carrying 45,000 litres of suspected illegal unrefined petroleum product about to discharge at the “refinery” in Abakaliki.

He said that the product was designated for a location in Cross River but was diverted to Abakaliki, where it was to be discharged in an unlicensed dump suspected of being used for illegal petroleum refining activities.

“Our men on Saturday night, acting on credible intelligence, tracked a truck laden with suspected unrefined petroleum product conveyed from Cross River to Abakaliki.

“The vehicle and four suspects involved in the illegal activity were arrested at a remote but densely populated area located at 18 Engr. Abbas Egwu Street, Off Ebonyi Voice Newspaper on the Old Abakaliki-Enugu Road.

“The place is suspected to be used for illegal refining of petroleum products in the state.

“On interrogation, the driver said he trans-loaded the product from another truck, adding that the waybill read somewhere in Cross River.

“The danger is that they are doing this illegal refining in a densely populated environment, every petroleum product is inflammable and hazardous, and it’s being located in an environment where people are living,” Mr Nnadi said.

He warned people who engage in economic sabotage, including pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering, illegal refining and sale of petroleum products and vandalism of public infrastructure for economic gains, to desist or risk arrest and prosecution.

Mr Nnadi said that the premises used for the alleged illegal refinery had been sealed and that further investigations were ongoing to unmask those involved in the economic sabotage.

He said that the impounded product would undergo laboratory analysis while the suspects would be arraigned.

Need for synergy among security agencies

The state NSCDC commandant spoke on the need for robust synergy among various security formations and the people to enhance security surveillance and combat crime.

“I thank the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi, for sending me to this state, and I want to tell Governor Francis Nwifuru that we are here to help him secure the state,” Mr Nnadi said.

Meanwhile, Ben Nwachi, the officer who led the NSCDC team that intercepted and arrested the suspects, said in an interview that the product was labelled “Low Poor Fuel Oil”, according to the dispatch manifest.

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Mr Nwachi said that the waybill revealed that the truck was designated for Cross River at the loading depot but diverted to the illegal refinery in Abakaliki.

“The truck is billed to go to Cross River, according to the waybill, and what is written there is ‘Low Poor Fuel Oil’, but it is a suspected crude oil product.”

(NAN)