TheCable

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos state command, says it has arrested 19 suspects and recovered 81 vehicles at an illegal oil storage site in Ikeja.

The command said N4 million cash, 140 drums containing illegally refined diesel, 15 power generating sets, 12 pumping machines, 25 surface tanks, among other items, were also recovered from the site.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Oluwaseun Abolurin, spokesman of the command, the suspects were refining automotive gas oil, also known as diesel, at the site.

“The CG Special Intelligence Squad, in realisation of their responsibilities, stormed Etal Avenue, off Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, at about 12:18hrs, on Monday, May 30, 2022, where it busted an illegal oil storage site, where Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, is being refined,” the statement reads.

“The squad arrested 19 suspects (18 male and one female), 81 trucks, nine buses, 12 pumping machines, 25 surface tanks, 140 drums containing illegally refined AGO, 115 generators and N4 million cash found in a car suspected to belong to the syndicate.

“The CG Special Intelligence Squad relied basically on credible intelligence, coupled with the re-invigorated vigour of the squad, in line with the CG’s charge to stamp out the oil thieves in the Oregun area of Lagos State and other states of the nation.”

Abolurin added that Eweka Okoro, the state commandant, had directed the anti-vandalism unit of the command to take full charge of the site.

“The commandant seizes this opportunity to warn oil thieves in the state to desist from the inimical act capable of sabotaging the nation’s economy,” he added.