A covert operation led by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Gombe State Command on Thursday led to the unearthing of an illegal refinery discreetly operating within the Federal Low-cost area of the state.
Commandant Muhammad Muazu, while presenting the suspect to the public, conveyed that the individual was apprehended in the act of manufacturing gasoline within the neighborhood. He emphasized that the arrest followed complaints lodged by concerned residents.
According to Muazu, the so-called refinery is detrimental to the environment, as it emits hazardous substances that pose a significant threat.
He said, ‘The illegal refinery is situated within Gombe metropolis. In there is what they are illegally producing which is gas, we had the intelligence for weeks and we have been following only yesterday God helped our men to move to arrest the perpetrators.’
‘The community members reported the odour emanating from the area and we kept monitoring until now. Whatever the place is called it is harmful to the health and environment of the area.’
In his remarks, Abass Adamu, the acting Coordinator of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, commended the NSCDC for swiftly informing his institution. He underscored that this collaboration is vital in securing genuine value for the money spent by Gombe residents.
Pledging transparency, he assured that samples would be taken for comprehensive laboratory analysis, with the goal of conclusively determining their genuineness.
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Adamu said, ‘A gasoline is a refined product from liquid crude oil, but this one is not from crude oil but they are using other raw materials to extract gasoline from them. A gasoline is basically diesel. The company was wrongly sited. The business is not supposed to be there as it has hazardous effects on residents. It’s an unregistered company.’
‘My state Coordinator has called off his leave to expedite the investigation and our Director-General is also committed to ridding the state and country off from adulteration.’
On his part, the Managing Director of the refinery, Abubakar Aliyu, denied insinuations that the establishment is a refinery describing it as pyrolysis.
He disclosed that he didn’t know he required registration with SON, as he used tyres, nylon, coal and many others as raw materials.
44-year-old Aliyu journalists that he established the pyrolysis shortly after attending a workshop in Abuja, stressing that, ‘When I learnt of the hazard I went to buy land outside of the residential area. I didn’t know we required a registration from SON but I was about to get clearance from Ministry of Environment.’
He emphasized that he didn’t personally construct it; instead, he collaborated with individuals possessing the needed expertise and a clear understanding of his vision.
He explained, ‘Since my childhood, I knew how to create things like cars. I don’t build it myself I call builders who give me what I want I studied Agricultural Engineering, and before now I have been in Telecommunications selling recharge cards, and phones. I only started this business three weeks ago.’
Residents, preferring not to disclose their identities, reported that the odor from the refinery had polluted the environment. They highlighted the owner’s apparent indifference to the health implications for children and the elderly.