Eight suspected oil thieves have been arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Bayelsa Command.

Mr Edenabu Eweka, State Commandant of the Corps, said that the suspects were arrested in two separate operations within the last week.

Eweka also said that the corps seized a truck laden with 45,000 litres of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO).

He explained that three of the suspects were arrested at an illegal refinery site at Kolo in Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa, with the truck already filled with the illegally refined product.

He said that in the second operation on Feb. 11, five suspected vandals were caught in the act at the Krokrosei-Azuzuama pipeline in Southern Ijaw LGA in the state.

According to him, of the five suspects, four were identified as suspected vandals, while one was a buyer of the stolen crude.

”Our anti-oil theft and vandalism operations have paid off as we have seized the 45,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.

”We shall take them to court and prosecute them diligently,” Eweka said.

The commandant noted that the NSCDC, as an environmentally responsible organisation, prefers to seize the products and have them forfeited to the federal government on conviction of suspects.

He said that burning the seized products further degrades the environment. (NAN)