The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has disclosed that its operatives apprehended 40 suspected oil thieves, destroyed 106 illegal refineries along the recovery of a cache of arms in 2015.
According to the state Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, the command recorded an appreciable success in its fight against oil theft and other illegalities during the outgoing year.
Speaking with newsmen at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital at the weekend, Agu said the command recovered 10 locally-made boats, eight speed boats, one lorry, 10 pumping machines, 20 boat engines and six motorcycles.
He listed other recovered items to 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 also known as paraffin.
He said, “Seven suspects were in court while 16 suspects were remanded in prison custody and added that four vehicles and boats were forfeited to the government.
“The command had an active collaboration with multi-national companies in safeguarding their facilities, including pipelines across the state and beyond,” Agu added.
Speaking further, he noted, “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.
“We are also active in internal security in the state; we are a component of the state security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’ in conjunction with the Police in providing internal security in the state.