NSCDC destroys 250 illegal refineries, arrests 118, convicts 40 suspects, says CG
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in its bid to secure the lives, property and government critical Infrastructures have made over 118 arrests within one year of the incumbent Commandant General (CG) Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu’s regime, secured over 40 convictions and destroyed over 250 illegal refineries from July 2015 to date.
The CG made this disclosure at the National Headquarters, Abuja, during a media chat, noting that pro-activeness of the Corps Anti-Vandal squad in the Niger-Delta area and other oil communities in clamping on the illegal activities of the suspects brought about the feat based on intelligence report.
The Corps boss who will be clocking one year in office on the 17th July, 2016 said the Corps in its relentless effort has been partnering with NNPC in ensuring adequate distribution of petroleum products to all filling stations across the country as well as checkmating the activities of marketers who specializes on product diversion.
Abdullahi also revealed that the establishment of the Command and Control Centre have assisted the Corps in to monitoring all the pipelines in Niger Delta, covering the six oil producing states; Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Cross River by the Corps personnel.
He stressed that the Command and Control Centre operates 24 hours for the purpose of surveillance of the pipelines in order to clamp down on vandals. He emphasized that the introduction of the Centre led to the establishment of Nigeria Security Energy Command (NISEC) for training of personnel by starter point for an Italian company through the office of the National Security Adviser for the purpose of effective deployment to areas that are prone to vandalism.
The Corps also partners with the youths of the communities trained by NISEC so as to assist in the creeks and the Riverine areas.
“I want to assure the government and the citizens that the Corps will do everything possible to ensure that vandalism is brought down to the barest minimal, with all that the Corps has put in place. Meanwhile, we are embarking on continuous enlightenment and sensitization programmes in order to educate the community leaders and their subjects on the dangers of vandalism and therefore urging those who engage themselves in the act of vandalism to desist from such as it amounts to economic sabotage hitherto its effects on the country’s economic development.”