The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested eight suspects in its fight against oil thieves in Bayelsa State.
The State Commandant of the corps, Mr Edenabu Eweka, said that the suspects were arrested in two separate operations within the last one week.
Eweka also said that the corps seized a truck laden with 45,000 litres of suspected illegally-refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
He explained that three of the suspects were arrested at an illegal refinery site at Kolo in Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa with the truck already filled with the illegally-refined product.
He said that in the second operation on Feb. 11, five suspected vandals were caught in the act at Krokrosei-Azuzuama pipeline in Southern Ijaw LGA in the state.
According to him, of the five suspects, four were identified to be suspected vandals while one is a buyer of the stolen crude.
”Our anti-oil theft and vandalism operations have paid off as we have seized the 45,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
”This goes to send a strong signal to all those involved in oil theft and vandalism that the NSCDC will not give them space to operate their illicit acts in Bayelsa.
”We shall take them to court and prosecute them diligently,” Eweka said.
The commandant noted that the NSCDC, as an environmentally responsible organisation, prefers to seize the products and have them forfeited to the federal government on conviction of suspects.
He said that burning the seized products further degrades the environment.
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