The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered an illegal bunkering operation in a forested area of Umuedeokwara Community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The discovery was made by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad during an operation aimed at curbing oil theft in the region.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Corps spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, on Tuesday.
The CG’s SIS Commander, Deputy Commandant, Appolos Dandaura, revealed that the operation was based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of an illegal refinery at the site.
According to Dandaura, the criminals were tapping into multinational oil pipelines, using fabricated and galvanized metallic pipes connected with inserted valves to siphon crude oil.
The stolen oil was then stored in large tarpaulin reservoirs and locally refined into automotive gas oil.
“Like we always reiterate that our…