ASABA/Nigeria: The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, says the force has arrested six suspects for bunkering and illegal refining of petroleum products at some camps in Olokpobiri, in Warri South West area of Delta State.
The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Chike Ikpeamonwu, announced the arrest in Asaba, the state capital while parading the suspects who are between the ages of eighteen and thirty.
One of the suspects Godstime Aremu explained the processes of oil bunkering and the channeling of crude to their camps for refining into various petroleum products.
according to him, “We take it from the well head, then to the oven for cooking, until it produces kerosene, diesel.”
The industry seem to be the thriving means of livelihood for some youths in the area like Samuel Kinglsey, who said he was at the camp due to a lull in fishing activities, while Friday Akokoma, confessed he got involved in oil refining to save for his mother’s funeral.
“My friend brought me to the camp to work and make money. I get a thousand naira per drum.”
“I go there to find money. I want to use it for my mother’s burial.”
Delta State Commandant of the Civil Defense Corps Chike Ikpeamonwu, stressed the activities of the vandals have economic and health implications, noting efforts were on to arrest the operators behind the illegal refining activities.
“It can’t be them. They are field boys, or field men. The bigman is somewhere, and we’ll get them.”
Commandant Ikpeamonwu also spoke about the challenges of logistics in accessing the difficult to reach areas where the illegal refining camps were situated, saying while some of the exhibits have been destroyed others are still at the camps.
The Command Public Relations Officer Superintendent of Corps, Eke Onyekachi, noted the raid at the Kanto camps in Olokpobiri Warri South West, was one in many effort by Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps to secure critical national infrastructure from vandalism.
