Ben Dunno, Warri
Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police special task force on pipeline vandalisation have paraded eight members of a cartel that specialised in refining diesel along coastal settlements in Warri South Council area of Delta State.
The cartel whose network allegedly spread across the entire creeks in Delta waterways has been the brain behind the conversion of stolen crude oil to locally refined products sold to some major marketers who in turn dispense same to the public at the official rate.
Parading the suspects at the weekend, the commander of the task force attached to PPMC, Warri Depot, Mohammed El-Yakubu, said the series of arrests was in line with the IGP’s zero tolerance on pipeline vandalism. He said: “Based on the intelligence gathering from our Abuja office, the sector launched an operation to scene of crime at Benneth Island in Warri South last Friday at about 10pm, where the suspects and their equipment were intercepted.
\“Arrested alongside the suspects, were two speed boats, one wooden boat, generating sets, hose and drums laden with over 7,000 liters of locally refined AGO set to be loaded into the wooden boats for delivery”.
“While all the arrested suspects will be charged to court after investigations had been concluded, the impounded product would be handed over to PPMC for evacuation after it has been authorized by DPR for discounting.”
El-Yakubu warned those behind the illicit oil deals in the state, particularly within his coverage area to desist from such criminal activities, as it would no longer be business as usual.