Mohammed Shosanya
The Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL),responsible for the protecting of key national assets including crude oil pipelines, has uncovered a logistic company operated by illegal oil bunkerers to secretly siphon and steal crude oil from the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) in Eleme,Rivers State.
Dr. Patrick Onogwu,Senior Manager, Security and Government, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited,disclosed the discovery to newsmen on Monday.
He said the firm specialists in transporting precious stones such as glass sand, quartz and iron to China, capitalising on their office proximity to a 28-inches valve, along the Ebubu new road by Eleme, Trailer Park, near the East – West Road.
He said the crime was perpetrated in connivance with two officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), posted to the company, adding that the illegal activities was bursted on October 7, 2024 by the PINL personnel of the Gbenesolo Surveillance.
He explained that the personnel upon uncovering the crime, immediately the 29 Battalion Nigeria Army in Ogale, Eleme LGA, who responded swiftly, leading to the arrest of the NSCDC officers and five others.
He said:”They just connected a 9-inch hose from which they load their trucks usually concealed in front of the weighing bridge of the company.
“It is an operation that can only be detected by careful monitoring of security agencies considering the busy activities of the company and the smart way the illegal bunkerers concealed their operations”.
Odogwu told journalists how the illegal activities were uncovered and the suspects arrested saying; “Five days ago, we got intelligence that they loaded three trucks from this compound.
“The trucks they loaded, they use 40-feet containers, built a tank right inside the container as a disguise such that once you see a container like that you think it’s carrying normal products and they use customs seal to seal the truck while they transport it to Akwa-Ibom state.”
He said the criminals ran out of luck when operatives of the PINL perceived the smell of crude oil during loading and moved closer to inspect the source of the odour and raised an alarm.
“They load like four times a week, so they brought in two trucks. Two 45,000 liters capacity trucks, Darf Model, loaded the first one and were on the second one when the supervisor for Gbenesolo, the second layer surveillance company for PINL, who was on patrol perceived the odour of crude and raised the alarm.
“With that we quickly alerted our team from the Ogale camp, under the 29 Battalion, which responded and led by one Captain Chibok, they came and upon arrival, they met two officers from the Rivers State Command of the NSCDC”.
He added that the two officers were arrested including the manager of the company and other suspects.
The company has since been sealed, while investigation into the incident continues.
A joint inspection has been conducted on the valve, as remedial work is ongoing on the line.
