The unabated criminal activities of organised vandals against the nation’s critical assets and infrastructure such as the oil pipelines, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and NITEL facilities among others have been an unmitigated disaster to the nation’s economy.
For years, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) makes public huge losses to oil thieves and other vandals in illegal bunkering business across the oil-rich region. This is despite the heat they are receiving from federal security agencies like the Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other Joint Task Forces.
As the year 2017 wraps up, the NSCDC, Rivers State Commandant, Mohammed Lawal Haruna, shared his views with BD SUNDAY how his command is tackling the criminal operations of vandals in Rivers State which he said was yielding tremendous results as his records have shown so far.
As every captain is believed to be armed with his work strategies, the Haruna-led command did not only take the fight to the creeks strewn with oil pipelines but embarked on stop-and-search of trucks and vehicles within the town. He said this was to prevent the few escapes from the creeks and illegal dumps where these products were lifted from getting to the target customers. The Corps is now dreaded in the creeks.
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The command’s result-yielding strategies show that as at January 2015 to October ending 2017, a total of 71 convictions were secured and about 150 suspects currently serving in jail terms in Nigeria prisons, while over 500 are awaiting prosecution. Arrested number of trucks, barges, buses and cars all filled with suspected stolen petroleum products such as PMS, AGO, DPK and Crude Oil are kept in the command’s exhibit yard, Port-Harcourt.
The illegal oil business across the Niger Delta creeks has led to the discovery of 178 illegal refineries, 15,325 GP Tanks and 230 illegal oil dumps all destroyed by the Civil Defence Corps who did not also spare some filling stations and oil companies illegally marketing and refining petroleum products which were sealed off and operators charged and prosecuted accordingly, Haruna disclosed.
The commandant attributed their success to the cooperation of other security agencies in the state, saying that “the command and control structures in the NSCDC promote synergy in collaboration with other security agencies, it is our prayer that with unbiased intelligence sharing, very soon the activities of vandals and illegal oil bunkering in the state and country at large will be a thing of the past”.
Until his posting to Rivers state in January 2017 to head the command, Haruna was the head of Anti-Vandal Department National Headquarters NSCDC, Abuja. And on the assumption of office, he and the command intensified their war against illegal dealings in the petroleum business in Rivers State and between January and October 2017, fifteen illegal refineries, three dumps were destroyed while twenty-two suspects, twelve trucks were arrested including the destruction of hundreds of gallons of adulterated AGO.
Haruna noted: “We are not unaware of public out-cry against adulterated kerosene, and the move to clean oil region coupled with the increased death rate caused by the use of illegal refined DPK (kerosene) stirred us to step up effort in fighting illegal dealings in the business”.
The commandant emphasised, “We are succeeding despite some obvious challenges as the following records show: on the 20th May 2017 some eight suspects were arrested by the Anti-vandal team, they also arrested a tipper with registration number SK28AE with a specially in-build tank loaded with illegally refined AGO. The arrest was made at K-Dere Community in Gokana L.G.A Rivers State alongside a Toyota Camry with registration number AJ174KMK that was escorting the tipper.
Also on 22nd May 2017, a truck with registration number KANO KNC 113XA loaded with about six hundred (600) bags of illegally refined AGO, PMS and DPK (Fifty Liters each) and a truck of 33000litres with registration number IMO GUA13AXA fully loaded with petroleum product was arrested by the anti-vandal team along Oyigbo bridge in Oyigbo L.G.A with three suspects. The trucks have been taken to exhibit yard.
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On the 24th May 2017 Anti-vandal team also made an arrest of a 35000litres truck of illegally refined AGO with registration number XA772KHE RIVERS and three pumping machines with no suspect at Ogboro Community in Obi/Akpor L.G.A. On 29th May 2017 Anti-vandal team also besieged a filling station named MESSRS I.C EGBE CO. (NIG LTD) and arrested three suspects, a truck with registration number JIGAWA RRW 117 XA filled with illegal DPK and AGO in a nylon bags and other truck XB213JJN PLATEAU and drums. The filling station is suspected to be dealing with illegal petroleum products.
On 31st May 2017, a truck containing 33,000litters of suspected illegally refined petroleum products with registration number KTN 676XA and two suspects were arrested at Woji road.
On the same day, a 33,000-litre truck with registration number KTN 657XA with suspected illegally refined petroleum products was arrested with 2 suspects at Woji road.
On 6th June 2017 a truck with registration number XA814RAP containing 33,000 litres of suspected illegally refined petroleum products was intercepted.
Also on 7th June 2017 at Ogojago sand-fill a 33,000-litre truck with registration number FUR 229 XA ADAMAWA conveying suspected illegally refined petroleum products was apprehended with a (1) suspect.
Also on 15th June, 2017, while patrolling along Woji axis 3 suspects and 2 trucks with registration numbers XB445ABC ABUJA, SBC 638AXA KADUNA were apprehended, the suspects were arrested with one (1) pumping machine. On 16th June 2017 at Woji waterside, 3 suspects and a 40,000-litre truck with registration number NSR 253 ZD KANO Conveying adulterated petroleum products were arrested.
On 18th June 2017, 3 suspects with 18,000 litters truck, with registration number AGL 667 XM LAGOS containing suspected adulterated AGO, were arrested at Eriebe toll gate.
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Base on the Mining Act of 2007, the Solid Mineral Protection Unit (SMPU) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines and steel arrested seventeen (17) suspects for illegally mining at Abbeycot dredging company in Obiakpor L.G.A and a site at Chokocho in Etche L.G.A on 14th June 2017.
On 20th June 2017, the State Commandant led a team of foreign journalists from the United State of America (Vice up HBO media) to the creeks; kirs and Borokiri. Twelve illegal refineries, hundreds of gallons containing illegally refined AGO (Automated Gas oil) and 3 illegal dumps were destroyed. One suspect was arrested during the operations. Some of the suspects arrested are already facing court trial while others are on awaiting trials.
On 24th June 2017, at about 0930hrs two male suspects were arrested by Anti-vandal team of the NSCDC Rivers State Command at No. 26 Happylife Avenue Mbano Camp Oyigbo L.G.A, Rivers State. The suspects were caught using their residence as an illegal petroleum dump. Eleven (11) GP tanks were found, four (4) were empty while seven (7) were filled with the products suspected to be AGO illegally refined. An empty cylinder was also found at the site of the illegal dump”, he concluded.
Haruna has called on the residents of the state to be law-abiding and stay clear of the infrastructure from being vandalised and appealed to them to report to security agents, any strange movement around them.
Godwin Egba, Port Harcourt
