71 Illegal Refineries, 22 Oil Bunkering Sites destroyed by NSCDC in a year

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has disclosed that between January 2022 till date, 71 illegal refineries and 22 oil bunkering sites have been destroyed.

The Corps Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi, at the World Civil Defence Day in Abuja made the disclosure. He noted that the Corps in clampdown on activities of criminal elements such as vandals, economic saboteurs and oil thieves with the use of advanced technologies, within same period impounded 134 trucks, 36 boats and other equipment used in perpetrating illegal oil bunkering in the country, Thisday Reports.

He said, “The Corps has maintained a dogged fight against the activities of criminal elements such as vandals, economic saboteurs and oil thieves with the use of advanced technologies.

“Consequently, between January 2022 and to date, over 546 suspects have been arrested, 429 under prosecution, 51 convicted, 71 illegal refineries destroyed, 22 illegal oil bunkering sites destroyed, 134 trucks impounded, 36 boats and other equipment used in perpetrating illegal oil bunkering confiscated.”

Audi, in his address on the theme for this year’s World Civil Defence Day, “The Role of Information Technologies in Risks Assessment” revealed that since his appointment exactly two years ago,  disaster management, risk assessment, crime detection and prevention, protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) like Petroleum Pipelines, Electrical Installations, Communication Equipment, Roads, Railways and others relatively improved from what it used to be.

He said, “Prior to this time, disaster management, risk assessment, crime detection and prevention, protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) like Petroleum Pipelines, Electrical Installations, Communication Equipment, Roads, Railways and others were relatively difficult but today, there is significant improvement.

“The Corps has chosen appropriate protocols and controls to mitigate risks, create and implement emergency plans, monitor potential threats that could lead to disaster and prioritise the protection of humans and asset with the highest value.

“In line with our mandates on disaster management, we have upgraded the Crisis Management Directorate by strategically organizing resources to lessen the harm that disasters cause through systematic approaches to sustaining the responsibilities of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.”

According to him, the corps has also undergone significant improvement in ICT and intelligence gathering.