The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akwa Ibom command, says it has arrested nine suspects for illegal dealings in petroleum products and other offences and impounded three trucks conveying 135,000 litres of petroleum products.

The state commandant of NSCDC, Eluyemi Eluwade, disclosed this on Saturday during a news conference at the command headquarters in Uyo.

Mr Eluwade said the anti-vandal unit of the command made the arrest on July 14 along the Ikot Abasi-Port Harcourt Expressway in Akwa Ibom.

“The trucks were halted for routine inspection of documents by NSCDC personnel, who insisted on sighting relevant papers, including licences to buy, sell and convey petroleum products as stipulated in the Petroleum Industry Act.

“The inability of the suspects to produce complete relevant documents led to their arrest and their trucks being impounded for illegal dealing in petroleum products, an offence punishable by Section 17 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

“Two of the trucks were conveying about 45,000 litres each of Automative Gas Oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel.

“The third truck was conveying about 45,000 litres of petroleum product suspected to be crude oil or used engine oil, a petroleum by-product for which a licence is also required to buy, sell or transport,” Mr Eluwade said.

Meanwhile, the state commandant noted that another suspect was also arrested by operatives of the NSCDC on July 15 in Idu Uruan, Uruan LGA, for alleged criminal conspiracy, tampering and theft of armoured cable in a transformer at the Nigeria Medical Association Centre in Uruan.

He said that the suspect, who was currently under investigation, was believed to have connived with criminals who breached the security of the facility where he was providing security, vandalised and stole armoured cable.

Mr Eluwade reiterated the corps’ commitment to curtail all forms of illegalities, including illegal bunkering, adulteration of petroleum products, operating without licence, and illegal refining to the barest minimum.

He warned against vandalism of public utilities, describing it as a crime against society as it deprived everyone of the common good they were meant to enjoy.

The commandant said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded to serve as deterrents to others.

(NAN)