The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Akwa Ibom Command, has confirmed the arrest of three suspected smugglers of illegally refined crude oil products in the state.
NSCDC said it also seized five trucks loaded with 225,000 litres of adulterated Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The state Commandant, NSCDC, Sulieman Mafara, while interacting with newsmen in Uyo on Monday, said the suspects were arrested based on intelligence and surveillance by operatives of the Anti-Vandals unit of the command on September 9, along Port Harcourt Bridge by East-West expressway.
In a related development, NSCDC Lagos Command, also confirmed the arrest of five suspected oil thieves reportedly moving adulterated AGO from Niger Delta into the state.
The state Commandant, Eweka Okoro, while parading the suspects on Monday at the state headquarters, said they were arrested on Friday while moving through an unauthorized route.
Okoro said, “On Friday evening, my men were on ground laying siege to intercept them from carrying out their usual criminal activities. We arrested four trucks and five suspects. They have all pleaded guilty. We have taken the content of the trucks for test analysis.
“This particular arrest is disheartening because they thought they were smart by passing through an unauthorised route. But our men were equally relevant to the job expected of us. We discovered there is a chain of command. We have traced and brought two other suspects. We will allow the law to take its course as soon as we obtain necessary facts from them.”
