The operatives of the Association of Refineries and Petroleum Marketers (ANRPM) and men of the Inspector General of Police from Special task force on petroleum and illegal bunkering unit on Friday bust a gang of suspected oil thieves of Petroleum products at Church Gate, close to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Abuja.
The oil thieves were arrested at a storage facility tucked in a supposed private residence at a Church Gate residence belonging to one Chijioke, where a huge quantity of stolen petroleum products was discovered.
Occupants of the residence including Chijioke reportedly scaled the fence on sighting the taskforce team and ran away leaving behind one Chinasa Ogbonna and Ms Olamide, who were the secretary and accountant respectively to the owner of the illegal facililty where the products were stored in large storage tanks, trucks and jerrycans numbering about 200.
The ARPM task force led by Eshanekpe Israel immediately sealed off the facility while the secretary and accountant were arrested and taken to the office of the police anti-vandal team for further investigation.
The team also busted another fuel dump at the Mabushi area of the Federal Capital Territory where a seeming tank farm for stolen petroleum products is domicile. The illegal storage facility is allegedly owned and maintained by one Chief Obi Mathias, who is said to be the Chief Executive Officer of P&C Oil & Gas LTD Company.
A mild drama, however, ensued when Chijioke who had earlier taken to his heels went to the Force headquarters to bail his workers who were already in custody.
On getting in a manner that suggested he is a kingpin in the criminal activities of the group he attempted to bail the suspects. He was, however, arrested by investigators.
Israel said there was an urgent need to stop oil thieves from adulterating and stealing petroleum products.
He noted that oil thieves are responsible for several fire incidences recorded lately in the country owing to the adulteration of petroleum products that are easily combustible in the event of road crashes across the country.
He further maintained that the task force will rest on its oars until oil thieves are brought to justice across the states of the federation while commending the office of the IGP on its prompt response and collaboration with the ANRPM operatives to stamp out criminal elements within the ranks of petroleum products marketers in the country saying the downstream oil sector of the petroleum industry has suffered enough in the hands of those he described as notorious forces in the distribution chain of petroleum products.
Source: Guardian.ng