The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Delta Command has arrested and paraded three suspected oil thieves with about 16,000 litres of stolen locally refined diesel.
The NSCDC Commandant in Delta, Mr Jimoh Suleiman, who paraded the suspects and the products before journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said the product was laden in a large wooden boat popularly called the Cotonou boat.
The commandant said that the suspects were apprehended on Sunday around Madagho community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, adding that the NSCDC operatives had been on the trail of the suspects for the past three days before they were eventually arrested.
“I am here to parade the three suspects we arrested on April 21, 2024, at about 0236 hours in the Shell Escravos area around Madagho village settlement.
“My boys have been out for more than three days on the trail of the suspects before we were fortunate to arrest them on Sunday.
“They were apprehended alongside nine GP tanks, with four of the tanks loaded with products, two pumping machines, a generator, and a counting machine.
“For you to arrest suspects with pumping and counting machines with a lot of products (refined), not black, for us to say it is locally refined,
“It is obvious that this product was vandalised somewhere; the suspects tampered with the pipelines,” he said.
Suleiman, however, said that the breakthrough was an indication that his personnel were committed to fighting oil thieves who were hell-bent on sabotaging the nation’s economy.
He warned criminals to desist from the Delta Creeks, declaring that they were out against them.
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“We are not relenting, and we will not relent; we are not sleeping, and we will not sleep.
“Others who have the plan to sabotage the economy should move away from Delta because we are out for them,” he warned.
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