Oil theft: Police arrest 58 suspects, 2 vessels in 2 months

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun says the Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (STFPIB) has arrested 59 suspects and two vessels over oil theft in two months.

Egbetokun said this on Thursday, in Abuja at the opening of a conference with Strategic Police Managers, consisting of officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police and above.

He said six trucks, one Toyota Camry vehicle, 200 sacks of adulterated automotive gas oil (AGO) and 80 drums of adulterated AGO were also recovered by operatives of STFPIB.

The I-G said that other items recovered in January and part of February, were 40 Gee Pee tanks of adulterated AGO and 62,000 litres of adulterated AGO.

According to him, one of the prominent achievements of the task force was the arrest of 23 male suspects and recovery of vessel MT Kali, following intelligence received from a private security contractor.

He said the private security, employed by the NNPC Ltd had informed the task force that the vessel and its occupants were involved in tampering pipeline and stealing crude oil.

“The Task Force promptly responded, successfully arrested the suspects and took them into custody along with the vessel.

“All suspects have been charged to court, and now facing prosecution,” he said.

The I-G said STFPIB was a Unit of the Nigeria Police Force responsible for tackling the menace of illegal bunkering and other crimes associated with the oil sector.

He said that the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) recorded notable successes in its quest to tackle the scourge of cyber related crimes in the last two months.

Egbetokun said the achievements were the arrest, investigation and arraignment of a suspect in connection with 2 million Dollars financial security breach and 12 suspects over Interswitch N30 billion security breach.

He said the effort had led to the recovery of 13 cars, 43 houses and landed properties, N1.7 billion and another N100 million digital assets, trashed and frozen.

The I-G said the centre also, investigated, arrested some suspects and recovered funds in a case of fraud and breach of trust involving N1.2 billion for the establishment of an e-governance platform for the Enugu State.

He said N1.1 billion was recovered during investigation in the case.