JTF apprehends 14 oil thieves in various Niger Delta communities

NEDU MARK, Yenagoa

Operatives of the Joint Military Taskforce JTF, codenamed operation Polu Shield in Niger Delta has arrested 14 suspected illegal oil thieves in the various Niger Delta communities.

The command said the 14 suspects were arrested at different locations while committing the economic crimes in the region

JTF said five among the suspects were arrested at Imo state, while 9 others were arrested at various locations in Delta State

The suspects, JTF said were arrested by the anti – illegal oil bunkering squad of the Sector 5 operating along Ohaji palm plantation.

The five oil thieves were arrested with truck loaded with 127 drums filled with illegally refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO).

The command’s statement issued by its spokesman and Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt Col Isa Ado, gave the names of the suspects as Onwuchekwa Kalu from Ohaofia Local Government Area of Imo State, Chinonso Nathaniel from Asa Ohaji in Imo State.

Others include Udemezue from umunachi of Onitsha in Anambra and Chika Usolo from Ebonyi State. The leader of the team Chinonso Nathaniel confessed to the crime.

The truck with registration number Anambra XD 857 AGU and products were destroyed in situ in line with the mandate in the region while the suspects are in custody of JTF for preliminary investigation.

In another development, Sector 1 of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield arrested a suspected illegal oil bunkering barge loaded with 150,000 litres worth of illegal distilled Automated Gas Oil (AGO) along Frado Oil Company Tank Farm in Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The captain of the barge Mr Umar Abdulkadir was arrested alongside three other crew members who gave their names as Isiah Emujekaroho, Ovoke Okotieboh and Abel Dama.

The Barge and the suspects are in custody of the JTF for preliminary investigation before handing over to the prosecuting agency.

The Sector also intercepted and arrested Volkswagen car with registration number Kogi AE 173 KAB and a truck with registration number Delta XA 395 BUR along Niger cat junction and Oghara in Ethiope West Uvwie LG of Delta State loaded with unspecified litres of substance suspected to be illegally acquired AGO.

Four suspects were arrested while trying to flee from the scene. The arrested suspects along with the products are in custody of the Task Force.

The JTF troops deployed at Chanomi raided five illegal oil bunkering refineries at Kantu creek in Warri South West LGA of Delta State where oil thieves operates with 5 surface metal tanks, and 6 drums filled with illegally refined AGO and Crude

Other items discovered include cooking pots, 3 pumping machine, hoses and several other illegal bunkering equipment. No arrest was made as the suspects flee on sighting the troops.

The items were destroyed in-situ. One suspect Mr Ugu Justice of Owhoelogbo Community in Isoko North LGA of Delta was arrested while trying to plant a dynamite in pipeline. Other items discovered include battery, primer, cable wire and lighter. The suspect and items are in custody of the JTF.

The Sector 2 deployed in Babaragbene general area in southern ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State destroyed 15 illegal oil bunkering sites where oil thieves operates with 20 large reservoir and 40 metal drums filled with illegally acquired AGO.

The items and illegal refinery sites were destroyed in line with the JTF mandate.