NSCDC Destroys Illegal Oil Bunkering Sites, Refineries, Other Facilities

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has destroyed 71 illegal refineries and 22 illegal oil bunkering facilities in the last 14 months as part of its effort to combat oil theft and illegal oil bunkering.

Associate professor Ahmed Audi, the Corps' commandant general, stated that since January, the Corps has used cutting-edge technology to crack down on the activities of criminal elements like vandals, economic saboteurs, and oil thieves.

The Corps seized 134 trucks, 36 boats, and other machinery used in the country's illegal oil bunkering.

He announced this yesterday in Abuja at the International Civil Defence Organisation's (ICDO) 2023 celebration, with the theme "The Role of Information Technologies in Risks Assessment," which also marked the conclusion of the organization's weapon handling, tactics, and reformation training programme and his two years in office.

“The Corps has maintained a dogged fight against the activities of criminal elements such as vandals, economic saboteurs and oil thieves with the use of advanced technologies.

“Consequently, between January 2022 and to date, over 546 suspects have been arrested, 429 under prosecution, 51 convicted, 71 illegal refineries destroyed, 22 illegal oil bunkering sites destroyed, 134 trucks impounded, 36 boats and other equipment used in perpetrating illegal oil bunkering confiscated.”

He said that the organisation has been making steady and outstanding progress in keeping with the theme of this year's World Civil Defense Day, noting that since his appointment exactly two years ago, disaster management, risk assessment, crime detection and prevention, and protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) like petroleum pipelines, electrical installations, communication equipment, roads, railways, and other have all significantly improved from what they used to be.

“Prior to this time, disaster management, risk assessment, crime detection and prevention, protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) like Petroleum Pipelines, Electrical Installations, Communication Equipment, Roads, Railways and others were relatively difficult but today, there is significant improvement.

“The Corps has chosen appropriate protocols and controls to mitigate risks, create and implement emergency plans, monitor potential threats that could lead to disaster and prioritize the protection of humans and asset with the highest value.

"In line with our mandates on disaster management, we have upgraded the Crisis Management Directorate by strategically organizing resources to lessen the harm that disasters cause through systematic approaches to sustaining the responsibilities of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

“We are determined to make the Corps a world-class organisation, that is why we are not relenting, but working hard to key into the global space and tapping from the experience of other members of the ICDO.

"Due to the appreciation of Modern Information and Communication Technology, the Corps under my watch has upgraded its ICT centre with state-of-the-art facilities to meet up with challenges of modern crime fighting and management.

“The Corps has designed, developed and deployed Integrated Electronic Arrest and Reporting system (i-Ears) for classified communication of intelligence, documentation of report from Divisional Commands to the Commandant General via State Commandants, Confidential Inter-Agency Data Sharing, Emergency Threat Reporting on a real-time basis which was fully deployed to live stream and monitor security situation across the country during the first round of the 2023 General Elections.”

He explained that within the two years of providing leadership to the Corps, “our ICT and cyber experts have designed, developed and deployed Electronic Disaster Alert Monitoring Application to enable NSCDC to receive and jointly respond to fire, flood and other emergencies and to enable us to provide crowd control, crime prevention and protection for response officers and equipment during emergencies.”

The CG also reaffirmed his commitment to staff welfare, adequate training and retraining of staff to increase their capacity, and upgrading of facilities in all Civil Defence Training Colleges to enhance career advancement, professionalism, and better performance to address current and future security challenges, among other things.

He also pledged to inspire and further raise the morale of the Corps personnel to successfully carry out their primary duties and have a positive impact on Nigeria's internal security.