7 Illegal Refineries Destroyed By The NSCDC In Edo

Seven illegal refineries were destroyed in Edo
State between January and November 2013,
Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps, NSCDC, Edo Command has
disclosed.
Soeaking in Benin City, Mr Chike Ikpeawonwu,
said three of the refineries were destroyed in
Iluoke and three in Agbede, both in Etsako
West Local Government Area while one was
destroyed at Abudu, in Orhionwon Local
Government Area.
The commandant also disclosed that 25
trucks loaded with crude from vandalised
pipelines, were confiscated by the command
within the same period.
According to him, 15 of the confiscated
trucks had, however, been destroyed, before
the directive stopping the burning of seized
trucks with crude was issued.
“There is a standing order from Abuja that
any truck impounded should not be burnt
again, in order to avoid economic waste,”
Ikpeawonwu said.
While decrying the activities of vandals in the
state, the commandant, however, said lack of
logistics posed enormous challenges to
effective operation of the command.
Ikpeawonwu, who said the command was
poised to curtail the activities of vandals
therefore called for synergy between NSCDC
and other security agencies in the state for
effective war against pipeline vandalism.
The coomandant noted, however, that one
way of reducing pipeline vandalism in the
country, was by building more refineries.
“Our mandate is to protect government
critical infrastructures and that is exactly
what we are doing now.
“Nigeria is losing billions of naira to pipeline
vandalism and we must ensure that activities
of these vandals are contained.
“It is very sad to know that individuals can
sabotage government efforts just to get
themselves rich through pipeline vandalism,”
he said.