The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has caught three people for breaking oil pipelines, stealing oil, and illegal handling of petroleum products in the Umuodo, Umuajuloke area in Rivers State.
On Sunday, NSCDC spokesperson CSC Babawale Afolabi from the national office in Abuja said they found an illegal oil refinery at the site. They discovered a lot of illegal petroleum products like Diesel (also called AGO).
“We got good tips and acted fast. We arrested three women at the site. They had stored a lot of illegal Diesel in big metal drums and plastic bags,” he said.
The arrested women are: Happiness Nwankwo, 45, from Omuma, Rivers State; Nnoma Nwankwo, 30, also from Rivers State; and Favour Amadi, also from Omuma.
At the place of arrest, they found many things used for stealing and processing oil. These included: drum ovens with stolen crude oil, big industrial hoses for siphoning oil, lots of stolen oil in plastic bags and containers, metal and plastic buckets, wheelbarrows, shovels, and metal pipes.
The NSCDC is investigating to find out the role of these women and who their helpers might be. If found guilty, they will be charged in court.