NSCDC ARRESTS 16 SUSPECTED OIL VANDALS IN ABIA

Reporter : LAWRENCE NWOKEDI

Sixteen suspected oil vandals have been arrested by the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Abia State Command.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the Commandant of the NSCDC Abia State, Mr. Vincent Ogu, said the suspects were arrested at various locations in the state.

According to the Commandant, some of the suspects were arrested for offences bothering on oil bunkering and illegal dealings in petroleum products.

He noted that the command would continue to maintain the zero tolerance directive of the new Commandant General of the corps, Mr. Ahmed Audu, against all forms of vandalism of critical national assets.

Mr. Ogu warned vandals to stay away from the state, noting that his men were ever battle ready to deal decisively with anyone caught in the act.

In an interview, one of the suspects, Johnson Akinrinola, who claimed to be the driver of one of the vehicles used in conveying the products, said that he was only contracted to lift oil from Portharcourt to Kano by one Lawrence Ahmed.

Items said to have been recovered from the suspects included one mini bus loaded with three thousand litres of suspected petroleum products concealed in a nylon bags; three trucks also loaded with fourteen thousand liters of petroleum products, each suspected to be AGO; and a Toyota Camry loaded with fifteen big nylon bags of petroleum products equally suspected to be AGO.