The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested nine suspected oil thieves at an illegal refinery in a forest boundary between Rivers and Abia.

This is according to a statement by NSCDC spokesman Babawale Afolabi on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Afolabi said that, based on the Corps’ dedication to wage war against illegal bunkering, the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGsSIS) conducted intelligence surveillance at the site, which aided in the successful arrest.

“We apprehended nine suspects caught in the act of illegally refining stolen crude extracted from a vandalized oil wellhead. We also discovered an ongoing construction of a local refinery with the capacity to produce 60,000 litres of crude at once.

“Visibly at the massive illegal bunkering, we noticed large hoses and galvanized metal pipes laid to transfer stolen crude across the processing channels,” he said.

According to him, the suspects arrested are Oghene Wede, 32; Moses James, 25; Chidi Nwosu, 53; Samuel John, 24; Emmanuel Paul, 20; Oghenevo Nwebi, 43; Martina Whinnypeter, 38; Nwabuchi Nwogu, 41, and David Okere, 20.

According to the NSCDC, the suspects have been interrogated, and further investigation has commenced. It added that the suspects will be prosecuted.

He said the massive site contained over 15 modular ovens, four fabricated reservoirs, and 30 pits dug out to store processed AGO.

“Exhibits recovered are RWD 5.0 GFE-6500 power generating set, two yellow colour pumping machines, metal and plastic buckets, cutlasses, saw, mats, welding Machine, galvanized metal pipes, different heavy-duty hoses, automotive gas oil illegally processed in cooking ovens,” Mr Afolabi said.

(NAN)