Officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Port Harcourt Zonal Command began investigating the activities of eight alleged oil thieves in Rivers State’s Port Harcourt.
This was revealed in a statement posted on Thursday on the EFCC’s official X handle.
According to the statement, the inquiry began on Wednesday, January 10, after the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Akiama Road, Bonny Island, Port Harcourt, turned over the oil thieves to the EFCC.
The alleged oil thieves have been turned over to the EFCC for additional investigation and potential prosecution, according to Lieutenant Commander G.Y. Gwaza, the Naval Hand-Over Officer.
The statement read, “According to the Navy, the vessel, MV Cabrini, and her eight crew members were arrested during an operation on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. They were arrested with an unquantified amount of illegally acquired Automotive Gas Oil along Bonny Channel.
“The suspects are Tyson Saidi, Emmanuel Memedo, Bamidele Owoeye, Sunday Okenwa, Sanusi Adeola, Kessen Friday, Miebaka Kienka, and Emmanuel Adewole.”
The statement further stated that Itoro Levi, an EFCC official, who received the suspects, gave the Navy the assurance that careful and competent investigations would be conducted.
According to Gistlover, security services are intensifying their efforts to combat oil theft in the nation as a result of President Bola Tinubu’s June 2023 ultimatum to the service chiefs.
In 2023, the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division claimed to have destroyed 233 illicit refineries in the Niger Delta and to have detained 112 individuals.
On Wednesday, the Niger Delta Development Commission made a request to the traditional leaders of the oil-rich area to assist the federal government in combating oil theft.
Additionally, it requested that the monarchs work with law enforcement to stop pipeline damage.
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