The Inspector-General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has warned that there would be severe sanctions for criminal elements who engage in illegal bunkering and illegal refining of oil products; activities capable of sabotaging the economy of the country.
The IGP stated this Thursday, while commending the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering, IGP-STFPIB, on the interception, on 10 June, 2022, of a seagoing 12-compartments barge laden with about 350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) litres of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, reasonably suspected to be illegally refined, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Four suspects were equally arrested by the Task Force.
TheFact Daily recalls that the Police Chief had, recently, appointed ACP Lot Lantoh Garba as commander in charge of the IGP Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering, IGP-STFPIB.
IGP Baba charged members of special teams set up to monitor, investigate, apprehend, and prosecute purveyors of these crimes, to renew their offensive against crimes and criminality, and professionally shun all manner of corruption so that offenders would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Preliminary investigations as well as analysis carried out on the samples by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority based in Port Harcourt, confirmed that the product was adulterated, and therefore unfit for sale to the public.
The Inspector-General of Police therefore warned all economic saboteurs to cease forthwith their criminal activities before the long arm of the law catches up with them.
He equally tasked personnel of the IGP-STFPIB to be steadfast in discharging their responsibilities.
All suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
