NSCDC arrests 40 suspected oil bunkerers, destroys 106 illegal refineries in Bayelsa

THE Bayelsa State Sector of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Bayelsa State Command, has said that its operatives have apprehended 40 suspected illegal oil bunkerers, destroyed 106 illegal refineries and recovered rifles in the outgoing 2015.

The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, who stated this yesterday during the corps’ end-of-year press conference at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital, said the command recorded an appreciable success in its fight against oil theft and other illegalities during the outgoing year.

Agu, who also revealed that the command recovered 10 locally-made boats, eight speed-boats, one lorry, 10 pumping machines, 20 boat engines and six motorcycles, said other recovered items include one bus, four taxi cabs, four wheelbarrows, 10 hoses, 55,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and 5,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) also known as paraffin.

The Commandant said seven suspects were in court while 16 suspects were remanded in prison custody, adding that four vehicles and boats were forfeited to the government in the process.

The para-military security outfit boss further noted that the Command had an active collaboration with multi-national companies in safeguarding their facilities and pipelines across the state and beyond.

Agu further said: “We are also active in internal security in the
state; and we are a component of the state security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, in conjunction with the police in providing internal security in the state.
“We also have a quick intervention force at the state headquarters for distress calls for any person in distressed situation and a disaster management unit that responds to emergency situations like vehicular accidents and fire outbreak.”

The Commandant, who commended the federal and Bayelsa State governments, the Commandant-General of NSCDC and the media for their support during the year under review, however, called on the Federal Government to do more in the areas of provision of more equipment and logistics support, which he said, were the major challenges facing the command.