Operatives
of the Nigerian Navy, Central Naval Command, have apprehended seven
suspects in connection with stolen diesel in Bayelsa State.
The operatives also arrested their
vessel, MV Mercy, loaded with 180,000 litres of the stolen diesel, which
street value is put at N28m.
The suspects were said to have been arrested last Saturday in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
Commanding Officer, Naval Base, Yenagoa,
Capt. Salisu Jibril, said on Monday that the seven-man crew, all
Nigerians, was arrested during a routine patrol.
Jibril said, “Last Saturday, our patrol
gunboat on routine patrol arrested a wooden boat, MV MERCY, along with
seven crew members.
“At the time of arrest, the vessel was
laden with180,000 litres of substance suspected to be diesel around
Furupa in the Southern Ijaw LGA.”
The commanding officer said with the
arrest, the Navy was making statement that there was no room for illegal
oil bunkering and other related theft.
“Those engaged in the nefarious
activities should know that the long arm of the law will definitely
catch up with them,” he said.
Later, Jibril paraded the seven suspects
before handing them over to the officials of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps.
He said the suspects and the arrested vessel were handed over to the corps for further prosecution and action.
Jibril handed the suspects to the Deputy
Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Godwin Miebi, representative of the state
Commandant, Mr. Desmond Agu.
In his remarks, Miebi said the corps would immediately commence prosecution of the suspects.
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