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Suspected Oil Thieves Arrested With Over 65,000 Litres Of Crude Oil

Nine suspects allegedly involved in illegal oil bunkering and illegal transportation of crude oil have been arrested by the Nigerian Army in Imo State. The … Continue reading Suspected Oil Thieves Arrested With Over 65,000 Litres Of Crude Oil


Oil Spill Hits Bayelsa Community
A file photo of stolen crude oil

crude oil thieftNine suspects allegedly involved in illegal oil bunkering and illegal transportation of crude oil have been arrested by the Nigerian Army in Imo State.

The arrest was made by the 34 Artillery Brigade Command in Owerri, the capital of Imo State

A spokesman for the Command, Captain Ajemasu Jingina, told reporters that the arrest was made through the command’s operation PULO Shield saddled with the responsibility of curbing illegal oil bunkering, illegal oil theft, pipeline vandalism and kidnapping of oil workers.

According to him, the command was able to intercept four different trucks along Owerri Port Harcourt expressway conveying products containing over 33,000 litres of AGO and crude oil suspected to be gotten from illegal oil bunkering.

Captain Jingina said most of the suspects were arrested along Owerri-Port Harcourt expressway and oil producing Oguta Local Government Area of the state.

He said a truck with registration number ABB 239 XA carting 10,800 litres of substance suspected to be AGO was loaded into a well-constructed metal and concealed with piles of two by four inches woods in order to bit the check of security operatives on the highway.

The Captain also disclosed that the officers of the Command also intercepted a Dangote Sino truck in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State loaded with 22,000 litres of substances suspected to be crude oil.

Some of the suspects maintained that the products were bought legally but concealed in the truck in order not to pay the normal fees and charges on the highway.

Apart from the suspected oil thieves, the Command also paraded suspected kidnappers and some with illegal firearms.

The command has promised to take up these cases and hand them over to the appropriate authorities for further prosecution.

It further called for more support from the public in providing necessary and timely information that would aid in combating crime and other criminal related activities in the state.