Good Friday : NSCDC boss, Maku vows to fight against criminality, parade 3 suspects in Anambra

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

No fewer than three suspected oil thieves who deal mostly in adulterated petroleum products were on Friday, paraded by the Anambra State Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

The State Commandant of NSCDC, Olatunde Maku, while parading them, vowed to step up the fight against crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and petroleum products black market racketeering in the State.

He paraded them with exhibits recovered from them by the Joint Operating Team of Anti- Vandalism Squad of the Command, headed by ACC Chinenye Chinweze and the Nigerian Navy.

According to him, the three suspects included, Okechukwu Okeke ‘m,’ aged 28 from Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area , Emeka Chukwuma ‘m’, aged 34, from Akili – Ozizor, Ogbaru Local Government Area, both in Anambra State and Ifunanya Ike ‘m,’ aged 29, of Mbano Local Government Area, Imo State, respectively.

In a press release by the command’s image maker, Okadigbo Edwin, the trio were arrested along Atani road , Odekpe Community , Ogbaru, conveying 65 kegs of 25 litres each of suspected adulterated Automotive Gas Oil ( AGO), estimated to about 1,625 litres, in two shuttle buses. One was a white coloured bus with plate number, Anambra AWK 429 XY and an ash coloured bus with registeration number Anambra GDD 277 XB .

Preliminary investigation revealed the illegally refined products were loaded at Ogbakuma Community and headed to Okoti Community, both in Ogbaru Local Government Area, Anambra. State.

Maku said the arrest was made possible due to the collaborative effort between the NSCDC and Nigerian Navy and vowed to leverage on the existing relationship to rid the state of illegal oil bunkering, which he described as a threat to the nation’s economy.

” I want to commend the Nigerian Navy for their support in the fight against criminality in the state. This type of synergy is what is needed to wage a full-scale war against perpetrators of the heinous crime.

” NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, as well as the prosecuting agency is known for its zero tolerance in crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities.

“We remain focused in freeing Anambra State of illegal petroleum products racketeering and other related criminalities” he concluded.

The NSCDC State boss reiterated that upon completion of investigation, all the suspects would be charged to court .

He called on members of the public to assist the command in its renewed vigour to stamp out illegal oil refining activities in the State through provision of actionable intelligence on illegal oil bunkering activities within their domains.