In line with its zero tolerance for oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu Taskforce on Pipeline Vandalism attached to the Petroleum Products and Marketing Company, PPMC, Warri Depot has arrested five suspects with about 13,000 litres of locally-refined diesel with four speedboats.
The four suspects were arrested at over Okpurishigbene community popularly known as “Cray fish village” in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, DAILY POST can report.
The Commander, IGP Task Force on Pipeline Vandalisation, PPMC depot, Warri Refinery, SP Mohammed El-Yakubu said the suspects were arrested by the IGP’s Taskforce who had kept a close watch on their activities based on intelligence.
“My men and I have been on the trail of this very cartel that specialises in converting stolen crude to cooked diesel for sometimes in this area and we immediately moved in to effect arrest when we were convinced it was appropriate to do so.
“We wish to express our profound appreciation to our Commander in Abuja, CSP Abiba Adamu, who had shown so much commitment to our resolve to curb pipeline vandalism in our area of coverage by supporting all our operations to some remote areas within our coverage areas.
“We also want to use this medium to appeal to the perpetrators of this illicit oil trade in this area to desist, as the command is all out to sanitize both the land and waterways within its coverage areas of this act of economic sabotage.”
El-Yakbu also disclosed that the arrested suspects will be charged to court once investigations is concluded.
He stressed that the impounded product would be handed over to PPMC for evacuation after it had been authorized by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, for discounting.
