The 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yenagoa, and the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have clashed over seizure of two tankers conveying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).
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The NSCDC had on Friday impounded the trucks along the Ogbia-Nembe Road and was taking them to its command’s headquarters when soldiers of the 16 Brigade intercepted them and took the trucks to their base in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The soldiers took possession of the trucks and forced the NSCDC operatives to take to their heels during a clash that ensued.
While officials of the NSCDC maintained that it was their mandate under the law to handle oil theft and check diversion of petroleum products, the soldiers claimed that the NSCDC’s operation was suspicious.
The spokesman for the 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Danjuma Danjuma, commenting on the incident on Monday said the Army intercepted the trucks under “suspicious circumstances” as the community members and the NSCDC were engaged in arguments when the soldiers arrived.
He said samples of the products were undergoing laboratory tests to ascertain whether the products were illegally refined or duly sourced from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company as claimed by owners of the products
Until the suspicions are cleared, the trucks would remain with the army.
“The trucks are safe and the test results are expected in a few days,” Danjuma added.
Reacting to the development, the state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Godwin Nwachukwu, said the two security agencies were resolving the face-off.
He said, “Our personnel and some soldiers had an encounter on the field, but the leadership of the sister security agencies have stepped in and maturity has come to play; we are jointly handling the case.
“Our mandate is very clear when it comes to protecting oil and gas facilities, curbing oil theft and checking diversion of petroleum products. What happened was unfortunate, but due to the excellent relations we have, it is being resolved.
