Illegal Refinery Discovered By NSCDC

The owner, Abubakar Aliyu, of an illegal refinery, was apprehended by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Gombe State Command after it was discovered in the state’s Federal Low-cost region.

Commandant Muhammad Muazu, who was parading the suspect on Thursday, December 28, 2023, stated that the arrest was the result of complaints from the neighbourhood’s residents and that the suspect was apprehended while manufacturing petrol there.

Muazu claims that because of the dangerous substances it releases into the atmosphere, the purported refinery is not environmentally beneficial.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Speaking as well, Abass Adamu, the acting coordinator of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, praised the NSCDC for informing his organisation, ensuring that the people of Gombe receive value for their money.

He committed to taking the samples and analysing them in a lab to see if they were authentic or not.

“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. 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,” Adamu said.

“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.”

Abubakar Aliyu, 44, the refinery’s managing director, refuted claims that the facility is a refinery and instead referred to it as pyrolysis.

He revealed that because he utilised coal, nylon, tyres, and a variety of other raw materials, he was unaware that he needed to register with SON.

Aliyu stated to the Punch that he had just attended a session in Abuja when he started the pyrolysis.

“When I learnt of the hazard I went to buy land outside of the residential area. I didn’t know we required registration from SON but I was about to get clearance from the Ministry of Environment,” he said.

He claims that instead of building it himself, he just acquired the necessary knowledge from others who shared his distinct vision.

“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.”

Some people, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that the refinery’s smell affected the surrounding area and that the owner was concerned about the effects on the elderly and young.