The CG Special Intelligence Squad, CG SIS, has arrested seven suspects for their alleged involvement in operating seven illegal oil dumps in Jahi/Katampe, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer, NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja, in a statement said this followed the directive of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, on a relentless crackdown against oil thieves across the federation.
In a comprehensive interview with the CG SIS Commander, AS Dandaura, he said the operation that led to the arrests was a well-coordinated raid based on a credible intelligence tip-off that some suspected vandals were engaging in the illegal refining of petroleum products.
“Acting on the intelligence received, my men and I swung into action and uncovered five illegal oil dumps out of the seven raided.”
The suspects arrested during the sting operations are: Akande Olusola (M) 48 years, Anas Usman (M) 33 years, Jonathan Onekutu (M) 45 years, Uchenna Kelechi (M) 44 years, Chukwuma Solomon (M) 37 years, Monday Israel (M) 34 years, and Bello (M) 33 years.
The following items were retrieved as exhibits at the crime scene: One white-coloured truck with Reg. No. GYA-777XA with three compartments fully loaded with 45,000 litres of AGO with an unverifiable waybill seen at the illegal dump; Mercedes Benz Short Peddler Truck 1202 model with Reg. No. FST-425XB; four (4) Short Peddler Trucks with Reg. Nos. RSH-197ZAN, SR-27YW, while two others had no visible registration numbers; a white-coloured DAF CF KSF-161XQ; MAN Diesel Short Truck KWL-241XA; Volkswagen Bus RBC-140XF; red and white-coloured DAF CF Short Peddler Truck with Reg. No. RBC-431XG; Mercedes Benz 1831 model Short Peddler Truck ABJ-647XD; Mercedes Benz Short Peddler Truck RSH-12XB; Mercedes Benz Short Peddler Truck with Reg. No. EBJ-247; two (2) counting machines; Toyota Matrix (blue) with Reg. No. KWL-644ZY; two (2) Toyota Corolla cars with Reg. Nos. AWE-717AA and ABJ-893BE; 6+4+8 pumping machines; approximately 23 surface metallic constructed tanks, some containing large quantities suspected to be AGO; black-coloured surface metal tank with about 14,000 litres of AGO; approximately 25 locally constructed metal tanks; different sizes of hoses; over 50 calibrated rubber surface tanks; two (2) Volkswagen Faragon buses with built-in tanks; container shelter; Mikano generator; two metal funnels; several plastic buckets; and Short Peddler Tankers without heads.
The CG SIS boss, Commandant Dandaura, hinted that the NSCDC would approach a court of competent jurisdiction through its Legal Department and due diligence would be observed in the investigation and prosecution process to serve as a deterrent to others.