Oil theft: Police seize 1.3 m litres of AGO, crude oil and PMS

Admin  l Monday, September 26, 2022

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigerian Police Force  says it has seized 1.3 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil(AGO),  135,000 litres of crude oil and 45,000 litres of engine oil and 123 tankers.

“The Unit currently has 52 cases under prosecution nationwide”, the  Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba said while briefing the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Oil Lifting, Theft on activities of the inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB).

The IGP-STFPIB is charged with the responsibility of tackling petroleum crimes.

“In one of the cases, operatives of the  IGP-STFPIB successfully discovered and busted the operations of an illegal refinery on 21st September, 2022 in Jijoro Community Riverside, Delta State, a creek of about one hour boat ride.  Suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO)  stuffed in 138 sacks, 10 empty surface tanks (ovens) used as cooking pots, 20 empty drums  for storage 1 boat engine 2 pumping machines were recovered. Three suspects, Happy Gift Lawson ‘M’  aged 18, Ejime Precious Lande ‘M’ aged 22, and John Jugu Fom ‘M’ X aged 25 were equally arrested.

“Similarly, on 9th September, 2022, following intelligence received from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Command and Control Centre Portal, operatives of the IGP-STFPIB proceeded to the Rumuekini Area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they discovered a warehouse within a residential building, storing about 15000 litres of petroleum products suspected to be illegally refined AGO stuffed in sacks. The products were recovered as well as 1 white Mack Tanker, 1 plastic storage tank, 1 barrel drum, and 1 pumping machine. One Franklin Osuagwu aged 29 was arrested at the scene in connection with the offence.

“Samples of the products have been collected for laboratory analysis, while the suspects will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations for effective prosecution in line with extant laws”, he said.

The Inspector-General of Police said the Nigeria Police Force will not relent in enforcing all laws as it is statutorily empowered to do by effect of Section 4 (d) of the Police Act, 2020, and so charge all suspects arrested for oil theft and other related offences accordingly, without any prejudice.