250 illegal refineries uncovered, destroyed in Niger Delta

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps said it destroyed at least 250 illegal refineries and secured the conviction of 40 perpetrators out of the 118 arrests made in the last one year in the Niger Delta region.

This was listed as part of the milestones recorded by the incumbent NSCDC boss, Commandant General Abdullahi Muhammadu, since he assumed office in July 2015.



Even before the recent attacks on the oil installation by militants in the Niger Delta, which has cut Nigeria’s main revenue by 50 percent (on account of losing 1.1million barrels per day), the country had been losing at least 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the activities of illegal refiners.

Speaking to journalists recently at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, Mr. Muhammadu said his agency deployed its Anti-Vandal squad in the Niger-Delta area and other oil communities to ensure effective clampdown on the illegal activities of the suspects.

According to a statement issued by the NSCDC spokesman, Okeh Emmanuel, the corp commandant further said, “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 sensitisation 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.