The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested four suspects for their alleged involvement in vandalism, crude oil theft, and economic sabotage.

CSC Babawale Afolabi, the National Public Relations Officer at the NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja, in a statement on Thursday, said the arrest followed sustained intelligence gathering, with the arrest taking place at Agric Waterside Camp, Umuorie, Obuzor-Asa axis of Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.

According to the statement, operatives were massively deployed to comb the entire area where the illegal local refining of petroleum products was ongoing. Upon their arrival at the location, four suspects were apprehended and the preliminary interviews conducted at the crime scene revealed the suspects had been deeply involved in siphoning crude oil after vandalising the pipelines.

“Immediately, nemesis caught up with the suspects, and they began to confess their involvement, stating that after breaking the pipeline, they connected hoses or galvanised pipes, buried them underground, and channelled the pipes to their constructed reservoirs, refining pots, and storage tanks,” the statement said.

“Our men further made discoveries of different sizes of cooking ovens, like 2-3 drum capacities, and separate reservoirs for storing adulterated diesel and kerosene.”

The suspects arrested are Friday Akpan Ability, 26, Ifeanyi Possible Ojike, 36, Ernest Odoli Onah, 30, and Happy Nnamdi, 23.

Exhibits recovered at the crime scene include large quantities of stolen crude oil concealed in cellophane bags, over 20,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil and DPK, metal and plastic buckets, shovels, galvanised pipes, clothing, slippers, and funnels.

According to the statement, the suspects would be appropriately charged in court after a thorough investigation.