By Easy OKOJIE

The recent threat to the Oil and gas industry in Nigeria, due to Crude Oil theft has led to the staggering revelations of oil bunkering activities around the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria. This has continued to gain traction as can of worms have been opened since the federal government raised concerns over the stealing of crude oil and illegal refinery operations which is causing dwindling revenue in the country.

Investigations have revealed that Edo State is not left out of the oil theft saga.

Sources revealed that some illegal bunkers around the Edo State capital are very much involved in these destructive criminal activities.

It was alleged that a woman by the name Itohan Evans aka. (Madam IT) was arrested on Friday 7th October 2022 alongside her conspirators by security operatives in the Edo State Police command.

The said woman, who is a kingpin, was also released immediately by the State Command, after she paid a huge sum of money to a high-ranking senior police officer in the Command, who in turn let her off the hook by granting her bail without due process as stated by the law.

Sources also alleged that the said Madam IT is part of a cartel of Crude Oil thieves that are specialized in the vandalization of crude oil pipeline belonging to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) in Edo State, while their base of operation is around Kilometre 16/17 Benin Sapele road at Ogbakpen and Obayaton axis of the Benin metropolis.

The manager of the said woman, one Mr. Chukwuka Sunday who was also apprehended alongside other suspects by security operatives of the Command, admitted to their illicit activities and the exhibits that were discovered on their site of operations include Five (5) Pumping Machines, Six (6) Trucks loaded with adulterated Diesel (AGO) and a fully loaded truck of Corrosive Acid Chemicals which is used to process the crude oil.

Chukwuka, confirmed that he works for the said Madam IT and the site of operations belong to his madam. He also stated that after they finish processing the crude oil which is called phase two, they load their trucks with the processed products which is taken out for supply.

According to the sources, the activities of these crude oil thieves in Edo State has created an environmental disaster around their area of operations and may likely become worse if not check by the authorities.

It was also alleged that some security agents in the state conspired with these criminals to sabotage the commonwealth of every Nigerian citizen.