The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced the interception of stolen crude oil from the Ogiata Local Government of Imo State, taking swift action to set ablaze the confiscated crude oil and destroy makeshift storage facilities and warehouses used by the oil thieves.
NSCDC spokesperson Babawale Afolabi, in a statement on Monday, disclosed that the special intelligence squad of the NSCDC detected and intercepted a significant quantity of stolen crude oil believed to have been siphoned from a vandalized wellhead belonging to a multinational oil company in the Nkwuogologo area of Ogiata LGA, Imo State.
Afolabi reported that the NSCDC promptly moved to the riverine location, where they discovered numerous drums filled with adulterated crude oil. The vandals, upon sighting the security operatives, fled, abandoning the stolen products.
The NSCDC operatives impounded all the stolen crude oil and proceeded to destroy it by setting it on fire. The Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, has been briefed on the situation and has ordered an extensive manhunt for the vandals who are currently at large.
Afolabi emphasized the commitment of the NSCDC to combating oil theft, particularly in the Niger Delta region, stating that the Corps is fully prepared to achieve significant success in its efforts. The Commandant General reiterated the determination of the NSCDC to rid society of oil thieves and maintain the security of the oil and gas sector.