The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi Command, says it has uncovered a suspected illegal petroleum refinery in Abakaliki.

The state commandant of the corps, Francis Nnadi, at a news briefing in Abakiliki on Monday, said that four suspected oil thieves involved in the illegal transportation of the product were arrested.

He said they impounded an articulated vehicle with plate number Abuja—ABC 624 XC—carrying 45,000 litres of suspected illegal unrefined petroleum product about to discharge a suspected stolen unrefined petroleum product at the “refinery” in Abakaliki.

Mr Nnadi said the product was designated for a location in Cross River but was diverted to Abakaliki, where it was to be discharged in an unlicenced dump suspected to be used for illegal petroleum refining activities.

He said the officers arrested the vehicle and the suspects on Saturday night at 18 Engr. Abbas Egwu Street, Off Ebonyi Voice Newspaper, on the Old Abakaliki-Enugu Road.

“The place is suspected to be used for illegal refining of petroleum products in the state.

“On interrogation, the driver said he trans-loaded the product from another truck, adding that the waybill read somewhere in Cross River.

“The danger is not that they are doing this illegal refining in a densely populated environment; every petroleum product is inflammable and hazardous, and it’s being located in an environment where people are living,” Mr Nnadi said.

He warned people who engage in economic sabotage, including pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering, illegal refining and sale of petroleum products and vandalism of public infrastructure for economic gains, to desist or risk arrest and prosecution.

Mr Nnadi said the premises used for the alleged illegal refinery had been sealed and that further investigations were ongoing to unmask those involved in the economic sabotage.

He said the impounded product would undergo laboratory analysis while the suspects would be arraigned.

The state NSCDC boss further spoke on the need for a robust synergy among various security formations and the people for enhanced security surveillance and combating crime, especially during the yuletide.

Meanwhile, the officer who led the NSCDC crack team that intercepted and arrested the suspects, Ben Nwachi, said in an interview that the product was labelled “low poor fuel oil,” according to the dispatch manifest.

Mr Nwachi also said the waybill revealed that the truck was designated for Cross River at the loading depot but diverted to the illegal refinery in Abakaliki.

“They want to come and discharge it at the illegal refining site here in Abakaliki. They have bought some GP tanks and have even gone to buy more and other materials used for the illegal refining business.

“We got the information and intercepted them; this truck carrying the product was not the original truck that loaded it at the depot,” Mr Nwachi said.

(NAN)