The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two suspects for tampering with laid crude oil flow pipeline and siphoning over 100,000 litres of oil around Umuhololo/Etitiuzor Road, Owaza in Ukwa-West Local Government Area in Abia State.
A statement on Saturday , 15 February, 2025 by the spokesman of NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi read that following its determination to rid Nigeria of the criminal activities of economic saboteurs, Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad established by the Ahmed Audi led administration has arrested two suspects for tampering with laid crude oil flow pipeline and siphoning over 100, 000 litres of oil around Umuhololo/Etitiuzor Road, Owaza in Ukwa-West Local Government Area in Abia State.
He said the suspects, Chukwuekpe Okeke, 40 years and Kingsley Madubuachi, 31,, an acclaimed member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria were arrested at about 0324hours to 0821hrs after a credible intelligence on Friday.
He said a report obtained stated that: “NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) acted swiftly to an intelligence that some suspected vandals and miscreants were vandalizing the installed crude oil pipeline laid and that passing through the Umuhololo community, Owaza, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.”
“The squad operatives on arrival at the reported location discovered massive storage of stolen and siphoned crude oil some carefully packaged inside cellophane nylons with an estimated quantity of about 100,000 litres which was illicitly acquired through tampering of the pipeline and connection of long hoses and channeled inside the forest where a dug-in pit reservoirs serves as a discharging point,” the report added.
Babawale said the duo have confessed to their various levels of involvement in the crime under investigation.
Consequently, the CG’s SIS informed a maintenance team in charge of the pipelines who also obliged by clamping the tampered area.
He noted that exhibits recovered from the suspects include, different sizes and colours of industrial hoses ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches, Plastic buckets and Valve used for controlling supply after illegally tapping the trunk line.
The remaining exhibits are slippers belonging to the suspects who fled from the scene, One Magnetic Black & blue Tecno button and one Legend XYM SYM black colour motorcycle.
While appreciating the efforts of the public who volunteered information to the Corps which led to the feat, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, called on all and sundry to always provide useful and timely information to the Corps and sister agencies to enable it curb the menace of oil theft and other criminal activities of saboteurs.
