Two persons linked with oil theft in the creeks of Bayelsa State have been taken to custody by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
It was gathered that the suspects were lifting their illegally-sourced crude oil to an undisclosed location when they were intercepted by NSCDC operatives who were patrolling the waterways.
The State Commandant, NSCDC, Desmond Agu, who confirmed the arrest on Monday, said that the suspects were rounded up along the creeks of oil-rich Igbomotoru in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
Agu said the product and a local boat used in conveying it were impounded and brought to the command as evidence.
The suspects were identified as Matthew Isaac, 19, from Amassoma and David Moloko, 25, from Okumbiri community, all in Southern Ijaw.
Agu said the operatives of the Anti-pipeline Vandalism Unit of the corps in collaboration with a private security firm, Guardian Dragon, recorded the success on Sunday night.
The Commandant said, “The suspects and their consignment were arrested in the night in our renewed offensive against illegal bunkering and crude oil theft in the region.
“We hereby call on community leaders in oil-producing areas to prevail on their people to desist from illegal bunkering and crude oil theft.”
He asked them to uncover strangers using their domains for their illicit trade, to security agencies, lamenting that the activities of oil thieves were killing the state and the nation’s economy.
“The fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism is the collective responsibility of all and sundry and we thank the Guardian Dragon firm for its continued support in the battle to rid the state of criminal elements,” Agu said.
He said after investigations, the command would prosecute the suspects to act as deterrent to others.
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