PRESS RELEASE
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, says the agency has matched it words with action in the fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism among other mandates of the organisation.
The State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun, posited that before now, illegal dealing on petroleum product was an all comers affair, including illegal production and transportation of petroleum products to the detriment of the nation’s economy, environmental pollution, health implications, climatic factors and the dangers posed to human, Animal and Aquatic life.
The State Commandant disclosed this while receiving an award from the Contingent from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji , Senior Course 45 on Study Tour to the NSCDC State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun in his office at the State Head Quarter in Asaba the Delta State Capital.
Presenting the award, Air Commodore BOC Ifeobu the Team leader stated that the NSCDC boss was awarded for his selfless commitment and significant role in the security achitecture of the state, with sterling qualities worthy of emulation, said the team leader.
Akinsanya further noted that the crime rate of crude oil theft, artisanal refineries and illegal dealings on petroleum products was on daily increase geometrically before now.
However, the narrative of the petroleum sector as at today has changed for good. It would be recalled that the NSCDC is the lead agency for the protection of all government critical national assets and infrastructure as enshrined in Section 2 and 3 of the NSCDC Act of 2003.
Dsc Emeka Peters Okwechime further opined that section 3 subsection 1, 2 and 3 of the NSCDC Act 2007 as amended empowers the corps with the prosecutory powers against crude oil theft thereby positioning the NSCDC as the only security agency with such jurisdiction to prosecute crude thieves as empowered by the law and enshrined in the NSCDC Act 2007 as amended.
Few months back, the NSCDC State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun, vowed to end crude oil theft on or before the end of December 2022, Which necessitated the inauguration of Special Forces in the State i.e the Commandant Tactical Squad CTS, the Commandant Monitoring Team CMT, and the Rejigged Anti-Vandal Squad RAS.
The statement added that the achievements recorded so far is not unconnected with the robust synergy, cooperation and collaborations with other sister security agencies as created, maintained and sustained by the Commandant Akinsanya led Administration.
Today, as we speak, all the creeks have been tactically fumigated, vandals smoked out, new discoveries were made, water bodies saturated, vandals arrested and prosecuted, trucks, SUVs, and articulated vehicles impounded, adulterated products destroyed, dump sites bursted, artisanal refineries crushed and decimated by the Special Forces.
The menace of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism among others have been decimated closed to zero if not totally eradicated.
Dsc EMEKA PETER OKWECHIME
Public Relations Officer,
NSCDC, Delta State Command.