Highly placed Nigerians, including traditional rulers, security personnel, youth leaders, have been fingered in the recent upsurge in illegal refinery and oil theft in the country.
Besides, about 200,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products were confiscated in the past six months in Edo state, just as over thirteen tankers were destroyed by burning on the directive and supervision of Edo state government, while a total of 24 different cases with 37 suspects unlawfully dealing with petroleum products were also recorded by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Ferdinand Esiegwu, Deputy Corps Commandant of the agency, made this disclosure in Benin City in a paper delivered at one-day seminar organized by the state Command of NSCDC, with the theme,