Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp NSCDC State Command Deputy Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele, has again reiterated that the NSCDC is the lead agency created to protect assets and infrastructure which has to do with preserving oil pipelines against vandalism.Ayodele spoke in a chat with National Point in his office at the command headquarters recently.
According to him, itsroles also cut across protection of telecommunications masts, power and electrical installation, amoured cable and transformers. ‘These are infrastructure that are very critical because the government has provided them in order to take care of the people and so any act of vandalisaton or destruction of these critical national asset and infrastructure has a negative effect, either on the economy or the people that are enjoying the amenities. On oil pipelines, the corps has marine officers who cover the waterways’.
Further that, ‘On this note, let me onbehalf of the state commandant Bisong Ogan, who just assumed duty appreciate the Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for giving the command a gun-boat and we are judiciously working in synergy with other sister agencies like the Nigerian Navy, who partner with us, most especially in the waterways to effect series of arrests on the water ways also the anti-vandal squad on the border patrol within Rivers State even at the local government levels they have been working assiduously to arrest those who engage in illegal bunkering. So, suspects that are caught, are being charged to court, exhibits retrieved from them such as automotive gas oil also known as diesel by the directive and order of the court they are been forfeited to the federal government and the proceeds are remitted to federal government coffers. This is what the command is doing from time-to time, to ensure that we stem the criminal menace of illegal bunkering’.
Addressing the resurfaced issue of black-soot the NSCDC spokesperson said. “There are various dump sites which have to do with locally refined AGO being produced in these particular dump sites and we get information. The Anti-Vandal squad swings into action and makes necessary arrest and destroy such dump sites, we are not relenting; our approach to the fight against illegal oil bunker is strategic, very high and we are not relenting. The NSCDC has charged 167 suspects to court between January and now, security should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone that is why we are calling on the civil populace to partner with us by giving credible information. We have also destroyed over 25 dump sites and you know that when you destroy one dump site, they relocate to another place for operation hence the need for credible information from the civil populace.”
The NSCDC spokesperson debunked reports that officers and men of the command engage in acts of illegal oil bunkering and in some occasions protect the perpetrators “These are mere insinuations from distractors, anyone who has evidence against anyone in the command should present it. Our officers are very disciplined and under the leadership of commandant Michael Bisong Ogan, I want to tell you that he has reiterated on assumption on duty that our officers are carrying on their duties professionally and effectively’.
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