NSCDC arrest 21 suspected oil thieves, vandals in three months

THE Bayelsa State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ,NSCDC, has said that it arrested 21 suspects in the last three months for alleged oil theft and pipeline vandalism in some parts of the State.

Commandant of the Bayelsa Command of the NSCDC, Christiana Abiakam-Omanu said though some of the cases were pending at the Federal High Court due to some months of inactivity on legal proceedings, the command is expecting to secure convictions based on diligent investigation and power of evidence.

Commandant Christiana Abiakam-Omanu, disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy call on her by the Executive members of the Federated Correspondent Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists , NUJ, led by the Chairman, Comrade Kola Oredipe.

Commandant Abiakam-Omanu, said the successes recorded despite some noticeable challenges have not deterred the command from consolidating on the achievements of past heads of the command, “despite our few weaknesses, we rely on our might as an institution.

“Abiakam Omani however commended the media practitioners in the state, particularly members of the Federated Correspondent Chapel, for the partnership and positive collaboration as a critical stakeholder in the fight against the core mandate of the command.

She noted that more collaboration was needed from the media organisations to fight oil theft and oil bunkering.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Federated Correspondent Chapel, Comrade Kola Oredipe, commended the NSCDC command for the successes recorded in the last three months under the command of Commandant Christiana Abiakam-Omanu