The
Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt on Sunday said it seized two wooden
boats used in conveying 100,000 litres of suspected illegally refined
diesel worth N20.4 million in Rivers.
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder’s Base Operations Officer, Cdr. Ugochukwu Ajulu,
told newsmen that three suspects were arrested on board one of the
wooden boats. Ajulu said the boats were seized at Akuku-Toru Local
Government Area during routine patrol of waterways and creeks in the
state.
“In line with strategic directives from
naval authorities, on March 31, our troops on routine patrol impounded
two wooden boats carrying suspected illegally refined diesel of about
100,000 litres. The first boat transporting about 60 drums fully loaded
with suspected stolen diesel was impounded along Bakana waterways with
three suspects on board. The second boat, which had over 100 drums laden
with illegally refined diesel, was seized while it anchored at Aiteo
jetty near Abonema. About 5,000 litres of diesel was also stored in a
compartment on the boat,” he said.
Ajulu said that naval operatives were
unable to make any arrest from the second boat as its crew members had
fled the scene on sighting advancing naval patrol gunboats.
The Commander said that preliminary investigation was ongoing to unravel the source and supply chain of the products.
According to him, the suspects will be
handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for
further investigation and possible arraignment in court.
Ajulu called on members of the public to
provide the navy with timely information that would lead to arrest of
oil thieves, adding that identity of such individuals would be
protected.
One of the suspects, Timothy Williamson, 33, admitted the crime before newsmen and pleaded for leniency from authorities.
Williamson, a Rivers indigene, said he
was recruited into oil bunkering in January by a woman simply identified
as “Mama”, who distributed the product to some companies in the state.
“We work for our madam (mama) who we
usually cook the product for at our operating base in Snake creek in the
state. We supply the product to our madam in the city who in turn
supplies the product to Peace Oil located at Elechi Beach Area of Port
Harcourt. Please forgive me as I only indulged myself in this business
(oil theft) because I had no job and money to feed myself and cater for
my family” Williamson pleaded.
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