The Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence
Corps, NSCDC, in the state, Mr. Michael Ochogwu, announced the discovery in an
interview with the NAN in Awka.
Ochogwu
said naval officers from their Onitsha outpost discovered the illegal activities
and invited the NSCDC to inspect and evacuate the tanks and products.
He said a combined team of the NSCDC, the
Nigeria Army and the Nigerian Navy visited the area and discovered 23 illegal
refineries near Iyiowa Odekpe, Atani in Ogbaru.
'The areas where the illegal refineries were discovered spanned
more than two kilometres. Fire wood used for the refining, refined and unrefined
products were discovered. We travelled for almost one and a half hours before
reaching the site of the refineries,' he said.
Ochogwu noted that the vandals operating the facilities were
not arrested 'because they took to their heels on sighting the army and naval
officers who discovered their nefarious activities.'
He expressed surprise that for long, some Nigerians had created
illegal refineries on river banks to refine crude oil illegally transported from
the sea.
While commending the efforts
of the naval and army officers, Ochogwu emphasised the need for adequate
training and provision of speed boats for the NSCDC to tackle vandalism.
Ochogwu expressed concern with the
increasing rate of vandalism in the state.
He called on traditional rulers and members of the public to
provide information that could lead to the arrest of suspects.
He appealed to the management of the NNPC
to evacuate the 453 drums of illegally refined diesel at its headquarters in
Awka.
He said the command was still
investigating the matter and that no arrest had been made
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