By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
Five suspected oil thieves apprehended by personnel of the Nigeria Navy have been handed over to the Police in Lagos for proper investigation and prosecution.
The four out of the suspects, believed to be staff of Tantita, a security outfit owned by a former Niger Delta militant Tompolo, alongside a local boat operator, were arrested on Thursday by a team of NNS Beecroft at Tolu community in Lekki area of Lagos.
Identified as Asonja Goddey, 28: Obajimi Oluwaseyifunmi, 38: Awoowo Aribo , 35 and Oluwadaisi Balogun, 40, all the suspects who hail from Igbokoda in Ondo State, were handed over to the Lagos State Police Commissioner Idowu Owohunwa by the Commander of the Nigerian Navy, (NN), NNS Beecroft, Commodore, Kolawole Oguntuga on Friday.
Speaking at the occasion, Commodore Oguntuga identified the owner of the boat which the suspects were trying to forcibly employ as Ishola Ojubuyi, 42.
He disclosed that 11 GeePee tanks, filled with 1,000 litres of petroleum products each, suspected to be crude oil were discovered in two wooden boats by the Naval personnel.
His words, “I am here to hand over the suspect with the exhibit to Nigeria Police, Lagos Command; and these men were apprehended somewhere at Tolu Community in Ibeju Lekki in Lagos.”
” A distress call was received from that community that sporadic gunshots were heard; in our usual way, the men from the force’s operating base responded to this distress call. On getting to the waterfront, they met four men dressed in black polo shirts with Tantita at the back.
“These men were trying to forcefully collect a 300-horsepower outboard engine from a local and they were able to apprehend and retrieve the engine.
“After the arrest, they now realized that these four individuals are part of a group escorting a wooden boat including a fiber boat.”
“These four men by the shoreside beckon on the two flying boats to come over, all of a sudden, the two boats alter course and take -off; and it was then the men went to the wooden boats and noticed eleven 11 1,000-liter GeePee Tanks with petroleum products suspected to be crude oil and they were apprehended.”
Oguntuga noted that the arrest also reinforces the synergy between the security agencies particularly in Lagos to continue to work assiduously together; adding that the agencies will not leave any gap for any individual or group to have their way to carry out nefarious activities.
The NNS Beecroft Commander sounded a note of warning to illicit oil bunkeerers, saying, “this is just the beginning;and we will tell them enough is enough of all this mess.”
Also speaking after receiving the suspects and the exhibit, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Idowu Owohunwa, said that the security architecture in the state is firmly built between the police, the military, and intelligence state agencies; and that it is a clear signal that the united forces is ready to respond and commonly deal with any group, network, or individuals that wish to test the common will of the Force..
