No fewer than six suspected oil thieves were arrested by operatives of the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) at Gas Line by Iheoma Uratta at the Aba area of the state.
NIGERIACRIME learnt that the men of the command recovered 42 drums of oil suspected to be crude oil from the suspects.
Also, a truck with registration number SSM 839XA, which was meant for the loading of the illegal oil, was recovered.
Confirming the development, the new Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Paul Igwebuike, while parading the suspects, described dealers in illegal petroleum business as saboteurs to the nation’s economy.
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Igwebuike listed the names and States of origin of the suspects as Tochukwu Onwuzuruigbo (48 years) from Enugu State, Ezechi Emeka (41 years) from Enugu State, Maduakolam Uzoije (25 years) from Uratta, Abia State and David Lazarus (24 years) from Anambra State.
Others were Chukwuebuka Onwuzuruigbo (18 years) from Enugu State and Abuchi Eze (35 years) from Enugu State.
The Commandant told journalists that operatives of the command carried out the operation with the help of a tip-off from informants.
He stated that he has come to cleanse the state, according to the mandate of the Commandant-General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, while warning criminal elements in the state to desist from their evil acts or be made to face the law.
Igwebuike commended the operatives who carried out the raid and urged members of the public to cooperate with security operatives to get rid of criminal activities in the society.
The Abia NSCDC Commandant stressed that the six arrested suspects would be charged to court after thorough investigation.