Security
Niger: NSCDC nabs 4 suspects for operating illegal oil refinery
The Niger Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested four suspects for allegedly operating an illegal refinery to produce Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) in Tafa Local Government Area of the state.
This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Minna by Superintendent of Corps (SC), Nasir Abdullahi, Civil Defence Public Relations Officer (CDPRO) in the state.
According to the statement, “with a renewed vigour, the anti-vandal squad of the command, through credible intelligence, arrested the suspects at Sabon Wuse area of Tafa local government area of Niger State for their alleged involvement and illegal dealings in petroleum products.
“Based on the available intelligence, our anti-vandal squad swung into action and four suspects operating an oil dump site were arrested. On the site we met their production gadgets and materials used for mixing LPFO.
“From the confessional statements volunteered by the suspects, they confirmed that they operate an oil dump site where LPFO, popularly known as black oil, is being adulterated by mixing condemned oil, crude oil and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to finally produce LPFO”.
Commandant Joachim Okafor, the State Commandant, NSCDC, said the first suspects, Abdullahi Musa, male, 45, who hails from Jigawa State, is into sale of adulterated oil (black oil) to customers who buy and use without knowing the oil could damage their engines.
He said that the second suspect, Hussein Sulaiman, male, 25, from Nassarawa State, worked as apprentice under Abubakar Saidu (owner of the dump site), who is at large and would have been the fifth suspect.
The Commandant said that third suspect, one Murtala Mohammed, male, 37, who hails from Kano State, does business in gas and petrol, while the fourth suspect was Mohammed Sanusi, male, 35, from Kano State and trades in engine oil, petrol and gas.
He disclosed that during the recent arrest the four suspects were caught pouring about three drums of crude oil in a carved concrete container in preparation for mixing to produce LPFO.
Okafor also said that an apartment used for soap production was also sighted with many drums and chemicals in the illegal facility.
“During the arrest, the suspects could not produce any license of operation hence they have been operating illegally, making the public to buy adulterated products,” he said.
He said that a thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain the level of involvement of the suspects after which they would be appropriately charged to Court.
The Commandant advised the public to engage in meaningful businesses rather than risk being caught engaging in any act of economic sabotage because whoever is apprehended would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
NAN recalls that Okafor upon assumption of duty as the 16th Commandant of the corps recently affirmed that the command under his watch would work assiduously to effectively prosecute the mandate of the NSCDC without compromise.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The Kaduna state Police Command has debunked reports of a bomb explosion in the Abakpa area of the metropolis, which reportedly killed two children.
The spokesman of the Command, Mansir Hassan, said in a statement that preliminary investigations conducted by the Anti-Bomb Squad indicate that a locally made firearm (Dane gun) was discharged, resulting in the unfortunate loss of life of the young boy.
According to the police, the incident, which occurred at about 8:30 am on Tuesday at Josawa Road in the Abakpa area, claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy, identified as Abubakar Muhammed of Josawa Road, while seven other individuals sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The statement stated that a combined team of policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer of Kawo Division and the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government, all visited the scene following a distress call, and a thorough on-site assessment was carried out.
Police disclosed that further investigations and assessments are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Command equally assured the public that further developments will be promptly and transparently communicated.
The Kwara State Government has come under scrutiny for failing to act on a 2020 security report warning of the rise of a new terrorist group, dubbed the “Mahamuda Terrorists,” in Baruten Local Government Area (LGA), according to documents obtained by Elanza News.
The report, submitted to the governor and top officials, highlighted the potential for escalating insecurity if the situation was left unchecked, a prophecy that has now materialised into a full-blown terror operation.
The Baruten Patriotic Agenda (BPA), which authored the report, expressed dismay at the government’s inaction, describing the situation as “deeply disheartening.”
The BPA’s prescience in forecasting the grave consequences of neglect has only amplified the tragedy, with the region now grappling with a surge in armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry, youth restiveness, and trans-border crimes.
Baruten LGA, located in Kwara North Senatorial District, is the largest local government by landmass in Kwara State, covering 9,749 km². Bordered by the Republic of Benin, Niger State, Kaiama LGA, and Oyo State, it is predominantly inhabited by the Batombu ethnic group and is an agrarian society heavily reliant on grain farming.
However, the rising tide of insecurity has stifled socio-economic progress and violated residents’ fundamental rights to safety.
The 2020 report proposed a comprehensive security framework to address the multifaceted challenges in Baruten, including farmers/herders clashes, communal disharmony, and drug abuse.
Among its recommendations were the establishment of a Peace and Security Committee by the Local Government Council, comprising traditional leaders and stakeholders, to strategise on conflict resolution.
It also urged the state government to expedite judicial processes on chieftaincy disputes to prevent further unrest and to deploy a delegation to pacify warring factions.
Drug abuse was identified as a potent social vice, with the Wadatta Mining site near Biogberu and several locations in Gwanara Township serving as epicentres for the sale of illicit substances like tramadol, marijuana, and “Skake-and-die.”
A recent tragedy in Dameru, Bwen/Kiyoru Ward, saw 26-year-old Abdulrazak slump and die after overdosing on marijuana and other drugs. The report named notorious dealers, including Idris Bagi Abdulrazak (aka Patrick) in Gwanara and Sabi Togo in Yakira, the latter suspected of orchestrating a N1 million theft.
The BPA further highlighted rising incidents of rape, with a recent case in Gwanara involving the daughter of a local vigilante, Ayinde, underscoring the growing threat to vulnerable groups.
To curb the menace, the report recommended that the state government direct local councils to form an anti-drugs task force and establish rehabilitation centres for repentant drug abusers.
Religious disharmony, though rare, was also flagged as a potential flashpoint, particularly due to the use of loudspeakers during worship, which has caused friction among residents near religious centres.
The BPA stressed that the proposed security framework, if implemented holistically, could significantly reduce crime in Baruten.
However, the state government’s failure to act on these recommendations has allowed criminality to fester, leaving residents on edge and the region’s socio-economic fabric in tatters.
Meanwhile ,efforts to reach the Kwara State Government for comments on the matter were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.