NSCDC Denies Shooting Two Suspected Oil Thieves In Akwa Ibom

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Akwa Ibom Command alleged to have shot and fatally injured two suspected oil thieves, identified as Aniefiok John Peter and Marshall John Peter, on Thursday, denied the allegation, saying though the suspects are currently on the wanted list of the corps, NSCDC officials have never encountered them in gun duel to warrant such unfortunate incident as reported by a newspaper.

It was gathered that a state-based newspaper, on December 6, 2023, published that an officer of NSCDC shot and injured the two suspects while operatives of the Command tried to effect their arrest in October 2023.

But the Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Friday Ekerete, on Thursday, while briefing newsmen at the NSCDC headquarters in Uyo, the state capital, debunked the allegation.

Ekerete said that the two persons claimed to have been shot by an officer of NSCDC are wanted by the Corps for their involvement in bunkering activities, willfull and unlawful destruction of Federal Government properties.

He explained that on Oct. 3, the command received intelligence of movement of bunkering products conveyed in cellophane bags in a vehicle.

He said that based on intelligence, the command’s operatives were mobilised to arrest the suspected pipeline vandals and oil thieves, adding that in the course of the operation, the driver of the vehicle that conveyed the bunkering products, one Marshall John Peter, “on sighting the NSCDC patrol team in a branded Sienna bus, attempted to escape and drove towards Ikot Ubo village in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.”