NSCDC INTERRUPTS PLANNED ATTACK ON OIL PIPELINE INSTALLATION, SEIZES WEAPONS
Read Time:2 Minute, 54 Second
The Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’S SIS) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has detained 17 people in connection with a renewed hostile attack on gas and oil sites in the Niger Delta.
In a statement, CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer, NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja, said that Commandant AS Dandaura, the CG’s SIS Boss, had alluded to the fact that his men had worked with other sister security agencies to arrest a well-known syndicate of 17 sea pirates after an intelligence-based coordinated operation at Tonogbe, Ekeremo Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, on March 6, 2025.
“Earlier on January 21, 2025, there was an attack against the Joint Task Force, combining operatives of the NSCDC and Tantita Security Services at their base in Torugbene II unit at Ekeremo LGA in Bayelsa State, by suspected vandals and sea pirates who were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons.
“Upon arrival at the base, they shot sporadically at the officers and innocent civilians, which led to the killing of ASC Umar Aliyu. His AK-47 official rifle was carted away, Ebikame Seimeneyefa of Tantita Security was shot, and a Tantita speed boat was also hijacked and stolen.”
Commandant Dandaura relayed that an intensive undercover and investigative operation was carried out in synergy with sister security agencies and Tantita, leading to the successful tracking and arrest of the 17 suspects.
“We mounted a round-the-clock and relentless onslaught against the suspects in collaboration with sister security agencies and Tantita Security and succeeded in smashing the 17 deadly sea pirates, led by a notorious vandal, kidnapper, and armed robber called Ziakede Amatu, who hails from Norgbene community in Ekeremo, Bayelsa State, and has been terrorizing the community and all neighboring states,” the statement said.
According to the report, the suspects provided the following information during an investigation conducted by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad: that on January 1, 2025, the Hon. Lokpobiri Heineken, the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, was attacked at his home by the same syndicate.
“According to the kingpin, while engaging in illegal refining of petroleum products in 2023 at Abonema, Rivers State, he worked under another notorious suspect called ‘Emergency’ (original name unknown). They had seven AK-47s, which were kept safe in the forest, but after refining the products one day, the suspect Emergency left suddenly and never returned.”
Ziakede Amatu later relocated from Rivers to Bayelsa State, where he confided in some community elders about the seven AK-47 rifles he had. He was advised to recover them from their hideout and use them to protect the community.
After failing to join Tantita Security Services, Ziakede acquired their uniforms to carry out a renewed attack on oil installations. This was intended to divert attention, disguise his actions, and undermine Tantita Security’s efforts while executing his criminal activities.
Further confessions revealed that the suspects launched a smear campaign against Tantita Security Chairman, Ekpemupolo Owiezide Government (Tompolo), because they were unable to infiltrate the organization and secure surveillance contracts. As a result, they resorted to vandalizing oil and gas installations, which ultimately led to the attack on NSCDC and Tantita operatives, resulting in the death of an officer.
The Commander of CG’s SIS expressed gratitude to NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, for providing the necessary logistical support, which has contributed to the squad’s success in fighting crime, criminal activities, and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0