As they say, the days are evil, especially, for illegal oil bunkerers and other economic saboteurs as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Navy firms up strategic partnership to take the full wrath of the law to them.
A statement signed and circulated to the Media by Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC Rivers State Command, Olufemi Ayodele, a Deputy Superintendent of the Corps (DSC), informed that this development was sequel to a strategic meeting between the two services at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking at the meeting, Commandant of the NSCDC Rivers State Command, Michael Ogar said the meeting was geared towards cementing the long-term existing relationship between the NSCDC and the Nigerian Navy, which he described as “a critical partner in the fight against illegal dealings in petroleum products across the coastal region”.
Commandant Ogar harped on the operational successes recorded through the collaboration between the two services, disclosing that, so far, the Legal Department of the NSCDC Rivers State Command has recorded forfeitures of 39 boats and remittances of proceeds to the Federal Government coffers consequent upon series of arrests by the Command and cases handed over to the NNS Pathfinder for prosecution.
He further disclosed that eleven suspects have also been convicted for illegal oil bunkering activities, vandalism of oil pipelines, conspiracy, economic sabotage while 30 suspects are currently being arraigned in court.
Extolling the outstanding role of the Nigerian Navy and the level of relationship with the NSCDC; the State NSCDC boss solicited for a more robust synergy, especially in the areas of training and re-training of personnel, intelligence sharing before, during and after tactical operations, expressing the optimism that this would enhance the war against the nation’s economic saboteurs.
Responding, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Port Harcourt; Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim called for a concerted effort by the security agencies and critical stakeholders in the fight against illegal oil bunkering in Rivers State, regretting that illegal bunkering and artisanal refining of crude oil had overtime erupted into environmental degradation, health hazards and pollution of marine life.
He maintained that the war against vandals would not be limited to arrests of suspects on the waterways alone but also extended to their sponsors and would-be buyers of such illegally obtained products, noting that, with thorough investigation, the prosecuting agencies must dig deep into such cases to unravel the numerous actors behind the crime.
Cdre Ibrahim pledged his Command’s maximum support to the NSCDC Rivers State Command in the areas of capacity building for effective service delivery, Intelligence gathering, joint operations and unrelenting war against pipeline vandalism in order to rid the nation’s economy of saboteurs.
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