Oil
By Deborah Coker
Benin, May 22, 2018 (NAN) The Edo Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of an unnamed suspect, for allegedly dealing in illegally-refined petroleum product.
Mr Makinde Ayinla, NSCDC Commandant in Edo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the suspect was arrested with about 1,700 litres of illegally-refined diesel oil.
Ayinla said that the suspect, who was arrested on May 13 in Urohi Ebutameta Urohi, near Ekpoma, concealed the product in polythene bags.
The NSCDC commandant said that there were Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines in the area which made it vulnerable to operation of illegal refineries.
“This development indicates that most of these illegal refineries are owned or sponsored by some elite in the society,” he said.
He said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were completed. (NAN)
DCO/FLP/WOJ
========
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Wale Ojetimi