Police Special Task Force Busts 42 Illegal Bunkering Gangs, Impounds Products
The Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum/Illegal Bunkering, IGP-STFPIB, has said that it has arrested 42 persons for thier involvement in illegal bunkering, amidst other achievements in the fight against economic sabotage.
Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while disclosing this Wednesday, 23 March, 2022, also said that while 21 of the suspects have been charged to court, the unit impounded 41 trucks, and 13 other vehicles.
TheFact Nigeria notes that the IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, reiterated commitment of the Force to continue to maintain sustained fight against illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, economic saboteurs, and other criminal elements in the country.
In his statement, Adejobi said that 17 suspects were still under investigation while 4 convictions had been secured in court.
According him, the police is seeking final forfeiture of 14 tankers and four cars to the Federal Government of Nigeria, while six cases were pending across various Federal High Court branches.
“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) were recovered between 2021 till date”, Adejobi noted, adding that the successes were achieved in Rivers State and some other parts of the country.
Suspects paraded in Port-Harcourt include 31-year-old Rabiu Halidu from Katsina; 30-year-old Michael Okoro from Rivers; 50-year-old Arinze Eze from Enugu; 22-year-old Lukman Musa from Kogi; 18-year-old Sefiu Ibrahim from Kano; 25-year-old Nura Isiaku from Kaduna State.
The trio of Lukman, Sefiu, and Nura had hidden drums of crude oil in a truck stacked with sacks of fertilizer.
Commander, IGP-STFPIB, DCP Usman Jubrin Kanfani, reported that the forfeited products were tested and confirmed by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and approved by private laboratories.
The 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.
IGP Baba commended Kanfani and his team for their diligence and assured of increased surveillance to curb the incessant activities of illegal bunker traders and economic saboteurs.
