Follow Us on Google
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Nigerian Navy in its continued effort to fight crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region has arrested two suspected crude oil thieves, one tank truck and a Mazda vehicle loaded with 1,300 illegally refined products, in Bayelsa.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Soroh, Commodore Sunday Lakan, who stated this while parading the suspects at the base of the NNS Soroh in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, said under the mandate of the Chief of Naval Staff and Operation Delta Safe, the NNS Soroh had continued to carry out patrol in all areas within Bayelsa.
Commodore Lakan noted that NNS Soroh, acting on credible intelligence, received information of products being stolen and transported from illegally refined sites.
“Our men were dispatched to the area and on reaching the scene this truck behind me was arrested with suspected crude oil stolen from a well head.
“However, on sighting our men the driver of the truck abandoned the truck and ran away, but he left the key behind and we were able to convey the truck to the base for further investigation and necessary action.
‘’So, while still on patrol, we arrested this other vehicle, a Mazda 323 with products tied in sacks suspected to be illegally refined AGO popularly known as diesel and kerosene about 1,300 litres.
“Also we arrested two suspects (a male and a female) conveying the products and brought them back to the base. A thorough investigation will be carried out,” he said.
Lakan assured Nigerians that all procedures would be followed and all those arrested would be handed over to the appropriate authority or agency for further investigation and necessary action.
