The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that in 2024, the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad destroyed over 2,125 illegal refineries and oil dumps across the country.
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Speaking at the 5th Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Tunji-Ojo highlighted that nearly 205 trucks carrying illegally refined petroleum products were seized, and more than 700 suspects were arrested in connection with these illicit activities.
The squad also secured 345 convictions, with an additional 187 cases still pending in court.
In his address, the minister emphasised the significant efforts to curb illegal oil operations.
The minister also provided updates on initiatives to address overcrowding in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
He revealed that as part of a broader reform effort, more than 4,000 inmates were released in a single day last year, resulting in a five percent reduction in the inmate population.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the initiative identified many detainees who were incarcerated for minor fines, leading to their swift release.
The minister noted that the move has not only alleviated congestion but also saved the government approximately one billion Naira annually in feeding costs.
He said, “We decongested our correctional centres by five percent last year.
“Last year, just over 4,000 inmates were released in one day. All we did was conduct a detailed analysis and found that many inmates were there due to petty fines. This project allowed us to release over 4,082 inmates, saving the government one billion Naira a year in feeding costs.”
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