The Rivers State Police Command has alleged that operatives of a sister security agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) prevented Police personnels from gaining access into an alleged illegal oil bunkering site in the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, disclosed that some Police operatives in company of the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, George Ariolu, were prevented from gaining access into the illegal refining site by armed operatives of the NSCDC.
The PPRO disclosed that the Police operatives, led by Akika Solomon, an assistant commission of Police eventually disarmed and arrested the NSCDC personnels numbering about 20 before gaining access into the illegal depot.
“We are fully committed to fighting the war against illegal oil bunkering to a logical conclusion,” the PPRO said.
Reacting to the Police statement, NSCDC Commandant in Rivers State, Bature Aliyu, who spoke through an Assistant Commandant of Corps, Michael Oguntuase, said the site in question was visited and endorsed in 2021 by the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, emphasizing that itwas not used for illegal oil activities.
The State NSCDC Commandant stressed that the marine exhibit yard in Ogbogoro jetty is not an illegal bunkering site but a holding bay used by NSCDC to detain boats, vessels, barges and drums used for illegal oil bunkering.
According to him, most of the exhibits in the yard were arrested by the Nigerian Navy and handed over to the NSCDC, while some others were arrested by the Command’s personnels.
“The Ogbogoro jetty is a no-go area for anybody because destroying the yard means destroying the exhibits,” he said.” he said.
It would be recalled that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike recently accused the Police and the NSCDC of aiding and abetting the operation of illegal refineries in the state.
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