The war against oil theft and pipeline vandals delivered a handsome reward recently when 25 suspects involved in stealing crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s pipeline at Kilometres 82 Abaji-Abuja road, were arrested.
At least one of the leaders operating the notorious Abuja-Abaji oil theft syndicate crashed into security net, after soldiers mounted a road block far away from the spot of the theft.
Fourteen trailers loaded with crude oil en route to Kano were intercepted at Toto village, Nasarawa State at about 4am by soldiers of the 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi. The ringleader, one Mr. Joseph Amaechi, confessed to journalists that a staff of Warri Depot, simply known as Mohammed facilitated the deal and received money for the products. He admitted that the 14 trailers were loaded with the crude oil within two hours.
Twenty-five people, including two police officers and five staff of a service company who were arrested with 14 trailers, were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Principal suspect Joseph Amaechi, 14 drivers and five staff of an Abuja-based company (name withheld) were paraded before journalists at 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi shortly after Commander of Guards Brigade, Brigadier General Emmanuel Atewe briefed the press in his office.
“I am pleased to inform you of the arrest of 14 tankers by our troops stationed at Toto checkpoint in Toto Local Government Area in Nasarawa State conveying substance suspected to be crude oil stolen from NNPC Pipelines in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory,” Atewe said.
“On 10th March, at about 4.00pm, troops of 177 Guards Battalion stationed at Toto checkpoint intercepted 14 tankers conveying substance suspected to be crude oil on their way to Kano.
However, the owner of the said tankers, one Mr. Joseph Amaechi attempted to bribe our troops with N140,000, which was rejected outright and the incident was promptly reported to the appropriate superior authority and the tankers subsequently impounded. The tankers were immediately moved to 177 Guards Battalion in Keffi. The owner and 15 others suspects were arrested in the process.”
Also one AK 47 rifle and a magazine were recovered from one of the suspects.
At Keffi, five of those paraded pleaded not guilty, saying they were staff of a private company whose responsibilities included watching over the NNPC pipelines. Similarly, the 14 drivers claimed they were just doing their jobs.
Eleven of the tankers carried crude oil, one carried kerosene while two were carrying diesel. According to Amaechi, each of the tankers cost as much as N400,000 to hire while the product cost him N800,000. He disclosed that he would have sole each of the tankers at N1.8m.
Receiving the suspects, Head of Counter-Terrorism and General Investigation of the EFCC, Mr. Baba Mohammed Azare assured the public of prompt investigation and prosecution of the suspected criminals.
The numbers of the vehicles are Niger XD 534 MNA, Abuja XK 150GWA, Anambra XA895LBC, Lagos XN460LSD, Niger XD49MNA, Niger XD532MNA, Anambra Awka 368XA, Niger XA317KHA and Abuja XE477RSH. Others are Gombe XA435SHM, Niger XB828KNA, Gombe FKY128XA, Anambra ZBL08XA and Kaduna XH754MGN.
