By Palma Ileye
Following its determination to rid Nigeria of the criminal activities of economic saboteurs, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad, has arrested two suspects for tampering with laid crude oil flow pipeline and siphoning of over 100, 000 litres of oil around Umuhololo/Etitiuzor Road, Owaza in Ukwa-West Local Government Area in Abia State.
The suspects, all male whose names were given as Chukwuekpe Okeke, 40 years from Umuebom Autonomous community, Ukwa West LGA, Akwa Ibom State and Kingsley Madubuachi Conelius, 31 years from Obibor Community, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State, an acclaimed member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria were arrested at about 0324hours to 0821hrs after a credible intelligence on 14th February, 2025.
The NSCDC in a press release issued by CSC Afolabi Babawale, its Spokesperson, said that a report obtained stated that the squad acted swiftly to an intelligence that some suspected vandals and miscreants were vandalizing the installed crude oil pipeline laid and that passing through the Umuhololo community, Owaza, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
According to the statement, the squad operatives on arrival at the reported location discovered massive storage of stolen and siphoned crude oil some carefully packaged inside cellophane nylons with an estimated quantity of about 100,000 litres which was illicitly acquired through tampering of the pipeline and connection of long hoses and channeled inside the forest where a dug-in pit reservoirs serves as a discharging point.
The duo in the statement, have confessed to their various levels of involvement in the crime under investigation.
Consequently, the CG’s SIS informed a maintenance team in charge of the pipelines who also obliged by clamping the tampered area.
The NSCDC disclosed exhibits recovered from the suspects to include: different sizes and colours of industrial hoses ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches, plastic buckets and valve used for controlling supply after illegally tapping the trunk line.
The remaining exhibits the Corps also disclosed were: slippers belonging to the suspects who fled from the scene, one magnetic black and blue Tecno button and one Legend XYM SYM black colour motorcycle.
While appreciating the efforts of the public who volunteered information to the Corps which led to this feat, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, called on all and sundry to always provide useful and timely information to the Corps and sister agencies to enable it curb the menace of oil theft and other criminal activities of saboteurs.
