NNPC uncovers 165 illegal refineries, 400 oil theft cases in one week – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

NNPC uncovers 165 illegal refineries, 400 oil theft cases in one week

Published

on

illegal refinery

NNPC uncovers 165 illegal refineries, 400 oil theft cases in one week

In the past week, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited said it uncovered another 165 illegal refineries in various locations across the Niger Delta.

According to a NNPC documentary between June 15 and 21, about 400 incidents of oil theft and vandalism were reported by both the government and private security agencies.

It was said that 69 illegal connections were discovered and disconnected in Bayelsa and Rivers States.

It noted that no fewer than eight cases of oil spills owing to vandalism or illegal connections were reported across the region.

 In Warri, Delta State, an illegal loading point was said to have been discovered.

 The NNPC disclosed that Across several swamps in Okrika, Rivers State, 69 illegal refineries were reportedly uncovered and dismantled. The ongoing construction of an ‘oven’ for illegal refining of crude oil was reportedly brought to a halt.

READ ALSO:

Similar refining sites were uncovered in different locations in Abia and Bayelsa States.

NNPC disclosed that 19 illegal storage sites filled with stolen crude and illegally refined products were uncovered in Delta, Imo, Rivers, Abia and Bayelsa. States.

It added that 11 vehicles were seized in Delta, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa States and 39 boats conveying stolen crude were confiscated in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States.

 It added that eight persons were arrested in connection with the incidents.

 Recently, the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, emphasised the need to fight insecurity in the oil and gas sector to increase production.

 According to Kyari, the nation’s crude oil production keeps dropping due to oil theft and vandalism.

 “How do you increase oil production? Remove the security challenge we have in our onshore assets. As we all know, the security challenge is real. It is not just about theft; it is about the availability of the infrastructure to deliver the volume to the market.

 “No one is going to put money into oil production when he knows the production will not get to the market. Within the last two years, we removed over 5,800 illegal connections from our pipelines. We took down over 6,000 illegal refineries. You simply cannot get people to put money until you solve that problem,” Kyari said.

NNPC uncovers 165 illegal refineries, 400 oil theft cases in one week

metro

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Published

on

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Authorities in Ebonyi State have recovered the remains of a man and his son who were found dead under unclear circumstances in the Ebebe Junction area of Abakaliki.

State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the evacuation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

Ukandu said the deceased, identified as Mr. Light Nwodor and his son Miracle, were found lifeless, prompting swift action by officers in the area.

READ ALSO:

“When I was called by an individual about the incident, I quickly called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area,” he said.”They swung into action and the dead bodies have been evacuated.“The police have launched investigation into the matter.”The command will definitely inform the general public on completion of investigation.“Right now, nobody knows what caused their deaths,” he added.

He also noted that no updates had been received from the DPO regarding any arrests linked to the case.

Initial unconfirmed reports circulating online suggested that the deaths may have resulted from eating food prepared by a woman who is allegedly now at large.

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Continue Reading

metro

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

Published

on

Ebonyi State Police Spokesperson, DSP Joshua Ukandu

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

One person has been shot dead, two injured and many people missing in Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a leadership tussle. The deceased, Nwoyika Ugbaloke and Thomas Ngaragu were reportedly attacked by some gunmen, but Ugbaloke couldn’t survive the attack.

Many people are said to be missing in the attack.

It was gathered that trouble started when a faction in the community imposed N40, 000 level on all the adults in Nduche Umuomara in the community, which did not go down well with another faction in the area.

READ ALSO:

It was also gathered that the faction that imposed the N40,000 levy on the adults was also selling lands belonging to the faction that opposed the levy.

A son of the deceased, Nwoyika Kingsley Emeka, lamented the killing of his father and called for arrest of his killers. He said the killers were moving freely in the community, sealing people’s farmlands with palm fronds and warning them never to set their feet on the farms until the fines were paid.

He alleged that the perpetrators were being protected by some highly placed persons in the community.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu said he had not received any report on the incident.

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

Continue Reading

metro

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

Published

on

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared eight suspects wanted in connection with the alleged loss of approximately N1.3trillion to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

Apart from two of the suspects based in Ibadan, the rest six were said to be from Idimu-Egbeda Road in Lagos.

But the EFCC has held on to two suspects it earlier arrested.

According to a notice by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, all the suspects are wanted for “fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).”

The first set of suspects, who are Nigerians, include, Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanishola and Adefowora Abiodun Olaonipekun.

The foreigners are Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

The Adefoworas and Michiros are suspected to be couples.

The statement described the second set of suspects as “foreign accomplices wanted by the EFCC. “

The statement added: “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are suspected foreign accomplices wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

READ ALSO:

“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

Asked about those two earlier arrested, a source in EFCC said: “They are still in custody. “

The Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama has said CBEX is unregistered with it.

He said the commission cannot be of help to the victims.

He said: “There is nothing the commission can do”.

“We are worried that this went on for long without anyone drawing our attention to it. That is why we are doing more enlightenment and asking people to come forward to report this for early detection.”

SEC said preliminary investigations revealed that  CBEX, which also operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology, had held itself out as a digital asset-trading platform, offering high returns to investors in Nigeria.

It said: “The Commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.”

 

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

Continue Reading

Trending