File photo: Illegal refinery

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo Command, says it has arrested three suspects in a raid at a newly discovered illegal refinery.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the illegal refinery was located at Iguadolor community near Benin, in the Ovia South West Local Government Area.

More than 49,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum product suspected to be diesel was also destroyed by the corps in the raid.

‘’The destroyed illegally refined petroleum product were stocked in a 45,000 litres capacity truck, as well as 161 jerry cans of 25 litres,’’ the State Commandant, Mr Makinde Ayinla said.

He added that the illegal refinery was uncovered through intelligence report.

Ayinla who expressed shock at the location of the illegal refinery because of its proximity to some residential houses, urged the public to be vigilant about happenings around them.

“Now you can see the people around here are saying they didn’t know that it was illegal activities of refining petroleum that was taking place here.

“It beats my imagination, because you can see for yourself, that it is not just illegal refining that takes place here, trucks come to load product here”, he said.

He stressed that the activities of the suspects was a sabotage to the nation’s economy.

The commandant appealed to members of the public to avail security agencies with useful information that would help them in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.

However, the three suspects arrested said they were employed to safeguard the site.