Oil theft: IGP’s team arrests 42 suspects, impounds 41 trucks

The Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum/Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB) has arrested no fewer than 42 suspects, impounded 41 trucks and 13 other vehicles.

This is just as IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to maintain a sustained fight against illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, economic saboteurs, and other criminal elements in the country.

Of the 42 arrested suspects, 21 have been charged to court with 17 still under investigations, while 4 convictions have been secured in court.

Also, a total of 1,057,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 30,000 litres of Low Pour Furl Oil (LPFO), 75,000 litres of Crude oil, and 9,900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, were recovered between 2021 till date.

The acting Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, made the disclosure via a statement made available to The Star on Wednesday.

Adejobi stated that the successes were achieved in Rivers State and some other parts of the country, sequel to the unrelenting and sustained fight against economic sabotage collectively by the Federal Government, and the IGP.

He noted that the collective effort has assisted greatly in the fight against bunker traders and purveyors of adulterated petroleum products within the country.

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The police spokesman added: “Amongst the suspects that were arrested and paraded before the press today in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, mnipr, mipra, the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, were 31-year-old Rabiu Halidu from Katsina State, 30-year-old Michael Okoro from Rivers State, 50-year-old Arinze Eze from Enugu State, 22-year-old Lukman Musa from Kogi State, 18-year-old Sefiu Ibrahim from Kano State, and 25-year-old Nura Isiaku from Kaduna State.

“The trio of Lukman, Sefiu, and Nura hid drums of crude oil in a truck stacked with sacks of fertilizer. They however ran out of luck upon thorough stop and search by an operational team of the IGP-STFPIB.

“The Commander IGP-STFPIB, DCP Usman Jubrin Kanfani, psc, reported that the forfeited products which were tested and confirmed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and approved private laboratories; and forfeited vehicles, are in the custody of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC) Ltd., while motions for the forfeiture of the rest are still pending in different courts.”

Speaking on the development, the IGP commended the efforts of Commander IGP-STFPIB and his team for their diligence just as he called for frequent operational patrols in a bid to curb the incessant activities of illegal bunker traders and economic saboteurs.

Baba equally charged police officers to be committed, patriotic, and focused on their statutory duties of preventing crimes, and protection of lives and property in line with extant laws of the country.

The Star