Officials of the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have arrested three suspects and seized a wooden boat containing about 4,750 litres of oil suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit.
The Base Operating Officer, Lt. Daniel Onyemaeze, who disclosed this on Thursday at Ibaka, while handing over the suspects to officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense and Corps, said the suspects were arrested on Monday, August 29 along Effiat waterways during a routine check by the officials.
He explained that the products seized were concealed in 19 drums, adding that each drum contained 250 litres of PMS.
He said, “This morning the FOB Ibaka is handing over 19 drums of suspected product to be PMS to NSCDC. They were intercepted by our personnel in the FOB Ibaka during our routine patrol at waterways.
“This is in line with the mandate of Chief of Naval Staff to curtail illegal activities and criminal activities in the waterways.”
Onyemaeze warned perpetrators of illegal bunkering, oil theft, and other criminal activities to desist from these nefarious activities or risk being arrested.
Receiving the suspects and exhibits, the Superintendent of the NSCDC, Candidi Odo, commended the efforts of the Navy in reducing illegality to the barest minimum at the waterways.
“We express our gratitude to the Nigerian Navy, the FOB Ibaka for the synergy that has existed between the Navy and the NSCDC. I enjoin Navy to continue in their good work and we promised them that we will never fail in carrying out further investigations and persecution of the culprits,” Odo said.
