The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has discovered five illegal crude oil dumps in the Jahi/Katampe area of Abuja, leading to the arrest of seven individuals suspected to be involved in crude oil theft and illegal distribution.
This development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale.
According to the statement, operatives from the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) also recovered trucks loaded with stolen Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) at the scene.
“One white truck with three compartments fully loaded with 45,000 litres of AGO with an unverifiable waybill seen at the illegal dump, four Mercedes-Benz short peddler trucks, and several other vehicles were impounded,” the corps stated.
The operation also led to the seizure of numerous exhibits, including pumping machines, hoses of different sizes, a Mikano generator, and approximately 23 surface metallic constructed tanks—some filled with suspected AGO. A container shelter was also among the items recovered.
The NSCDC emphasized its resolve to clamp down on oil theft across the country.
“The arrests made by the CG’s SIS showcased the dedication of the corps to relentlessly crack down on crude oil thieves across the federation,” Babawale said.
He added that the suspects will be prosecuted accordingly “to serve as a deterrent to other criminals.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")