NNPC uncovers 72 illegal refineries in one week – Newstrends
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NNPC uncovers 72 illegal refineries in one week

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NNPC uncovers 72 illegal refineries in one week

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says 72 illegal refineries were uncovered within a week in Rivers, Delta and Abia states.

A video report released by the NNPCL detailed the discovery of the illegal refineries.

On August 18, members of Operation Delta Safe apprehended a vessel with 12 suspects on board in the Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa State.

The NNPCL, according to a report by The PUNCH, said the tugboat was found carrying stolen Shell Petroleum Development Company flow lines.

“The tugboat was caught loaded with stolen Shell Petroleum Development Company flow lines, which shows that not only did the thieves break the pipelines in order to connect their pipes, but they also harvested oil pipelines as well,” the NNPC said.

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The thieves reportedly broke into the pipelines to siphon oil and removed sections of the oil pipelines themselves. The 12 suspects are currently in custody for further investigation.

Additionally, NNPCL said 46 automatic identification system infractions were recorded at sea, and 24 wooden boats carrying stolen crude were intercepted in Rivers and Bayelsa States.

On land, several vehicles transporting stolen crude oil were also seized in Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa States.

During the same week, 33 illegal oil connections were discovered in the three states.

Eight incidents of oil spills, attributed to vandalism, were recorded, and 12 sites used for storing stolen crude and illegally refined products were uncovered.

“From August 17 to 23, 204 incidents of oil theft were recorded by different incident sources.

“47 of the incidents took place in the deep blue water, 10 in the western region, 100 in the central region and 47 in the eastern region,” it was disclosed.

In connection with these incidents, a total of 42 suspects have been arrested.

NNPC uncovers 72 illegal refineries in one week

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Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

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Shawulu Dan-Mammam,Commissioner of Police, Niger State

Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

In a tragic turn of events, kidnappers who abducted a hotel owner, his manager, and a guest in Gauraka community, Tafa Local Government Area, Niger State, have executed their captives despite receiving a ransom of N25 million.

The incident, which occurred early on August 17, 2024, has also claimed the lives of two local vigilantes, Abubakar Muhammad and Ibrahim Garba, who were killed while delivering the ransom.

According to reports from City & Crime, the bodies of the victims were found in the Dogon-Daji Forest, a border area between Kaduna, Niger State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). They were subsequently transported to an air force base near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Hussaini Abubakar, the commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Tafa, confirmed that the remains of the vigilantes were buried on Saturday following military clearance.

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Additionally, a man previously abducted from the community about a month ago was rescued with gunshot wounds and is receiving treatment at an army medical facility in Abuja.

The abduction began around 1 am when the kidnappers raided the hotel, forcibly taking all the lodgers. Witnesses reported that the bandits fired shots while leaving, drawing attention to the crime. Despite the presence of a security hunter nearby, the individual fled upon seeing the attackers.

Community residents have expressed growing frustration over the escalating attacks, noting that the bandits frequently operate in nearby forests and along major roads, including the Ijah-Koro and Ijah-Gwari roads leading to Bwari town in the FCT.

Gauraka has experienced at least five kidnapping incidents in the past four months, underscoring the urgent need for increased security measures in the area.

Kidnappers kill hotel owner, manager, guest after collecting N25m ransom

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Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

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Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested five Chinese nationals suspected of illegal mining activities in Ndito-Eka-Iba village, located in Ibieno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

The EFCC announced the arrests on Sunday, stating that its Special Task Force on Illegal Mining, operating in Uyo, carried out the operation based on credible intelligence regarding illicit mining activities conducted by foreign companies in Eket and Ibieno LGAs.

This development underscores the ongoing efforts of the EFCC to clamp down on illegal mining and protect Nigeria’s natural resources from exploitation by foreign entities.

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The agency’s vigilance in addressing illegal operations continues to support the country’s broader fight against environmental degradation and economic sabotage.

“The five arrested Chinese suspects are Zhon Qinping, apprehended on 10 September, and Li Yi, Xie Bin, Chen Mou Zhou, and Chen Zeng, arrested on 29 August.

“They were arrested at an illegal mining site, where a mineral suspected to be ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral, was being extracted.

“The suspects will face charges in court once investigations are concluded,” EFCC said.

Five Chinese arrested in Akwa Ibom for illegal mining

(NAN)

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Katsina community corps arrests suspect supplying hard drugs to bandits

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Umar Shehu

Katsina community corps arrests suspect supplying hard drugs to bandits

The Katsina Community Watch Corps (CWC) has apprehended Umar Shehu on allegations of supplying illegal injections and drugs to bandits involved in kidnappings in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The arrest was reported by Bakatsine, a security expert and Conflict and Crisis Journalist in the Northwest region, via a post on X.

Accompanying the post was a video showing a significant quantity of syringes and Umar Shehu’s confession to his involvement in the illegal activities.

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“GOOD NEWS: The Katsina Community Watch Corp (CWC) in Ɗandume Local Government Area has successfully apprehended a man named Umar Shehu, who was involved in trafficking illegal injections and drugs to supply to bandits engaged in kidnappings in Sabuwa LGA all in Katsina State,” the post reads.

“The security team gathered crucial information from Umar and others, but only Umar’s information appeared in the video while others were not recorded for security reasons, according to an insider.”

Katsina community corps arrests suspect supplying hard drugs to bandits

(PoliticsNigeria)

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