The dump yard of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been set ablaze, according to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Olufemi Ayodele on Tuesday.
The yard which is located at Iriebe in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of River was torched by suspected saboteurs.
Ayodele, said the yard which was assigned to the Corp over a decade ago contained several impounded trucks in connection with illegal oil bunkering. Some of the trucks had already been forfeited by court order and were to be auctioned.
According to our Port Harcourt correspondent, Ifunanya Ilodianya, the NSCDC Assistant Commandant General in charge of Zone L, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, ACG James Bassey, said the exhibit yard was jointly owned by the NSCDC and EFCC.
He also revealed that five suspects have been arrested by the command’s Intelligence and Antivandal Team who cordoned off the entire area.
An eyewitness said the fire started with a loud explosion and that it took over an hour for firefighters to arrive at the scene.
Over 30 trucks filled with suspected assorted illegal petroleum products were gutted in the inferno.
