The Nigerian Navy has apprehended 35 suspected oil thieves and seized from them 408 drums of suspected illegal refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Akwa Ibom State.
The Naval Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of the state, Navy Capt. Mohammed Abu who paraded the suspects to newsmen on Wednesday said they were apprehended on November 26, 2021 while on routine patrol.
The suspects he said will be handed over to operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ibaka Mbo Local Government Area after their parade.
He said, “I will be handing over the suspects and exhibits of wooden boats that were intercepted by the NNS Thunder on the Nov. 26, at high sea having infracted economic policy of the country.
“The Chief of the Naval Staff has given a clear directive to Nigerian Navy to free the waterways of illegalities and other maritime crimes.
“So, having said this, we have three wooden boats which were conveying 408 drums of AGO and 40 drums of PMS mixed with oil, 906 empty drums and 35 male suspects are here before you.
“I am handing them over to you, as the Prosecuting Agency to carry out further investigation and prosecute them accordingly and revert to the Nigerian Navy on the outcome,” Abu said.
The commanding officer said the arrest of the suspected vandals has sent messages to criminals that the Nigerian Navy would not relent in ensuring all economic sabotage in the Nigerian maritime space is punished.
“This arrest is to send a message to those vandals of our crude oil pipelines that the CNS has zero-tolerance for crude oil theft and our ships are out there looking for them and we will arrest them until they are out of our maritime domain,” he said.
