Police Task Force Arrest 59 Suspects, Recover 62,000 Liters of Adulterated Diesel
The Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (STFPIB) has arrested 59 suspects and recovered 62,000 litres of adulterated AGO also called Diesel in the past seven weeks.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, disclosed this during a meeting with strategic commanders of the police in Abuja.
Advertisement
Egbetokun noted that the unit is responsible for tackling the menace of illegal bunkering and other crimes associated with the oil sector.
Speaking of its achievement, the IGP said operatives had recovered two vessels and 200 sacks of adulterated automotive gas oil.
The operatives also recovered 80 drums of adulterated AGO, six trucks and 40 Gee Pee tanks of adulterated AGO.
The police chief noted that one of the unit’s prominent achievements was the arrest of 23 male suspects and the recovery of vessel MT Kali.
Advertisement
The arrested suspects, Egbetokun revealed followed intelligence received from a private security contractor employed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that the vessel and its occupants were involved in tampering pipeline and stealing crude oil at the Ekeni Area, Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State.
“The Task Force promptly responded, successfully arrested the suspects and took them into custody along with the vessel. All suspects have been charged to court, and now facing prosecution,” the IGP said.
The STFPIB, the police IG noted, is a part of the renewed vigour of the current Police administration, to stem the tide of activities of illegal oil bunkering and other nefarious activities directly hampering the progress in the oil and gas sector.
He said such, “has led to doubled efforts targeted at checkmating the perpetrators of these illicit acts and leading to the arrest and interception of some criminal elements sabotaging the country’s economy.”
