The Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB) have unearthed an illegal petroleum refining operation in Edo State, south-western part of Nigeria.
Confiance News gathered from Sly news on Monday.
The discovery, the report says, follows an interception of intelligence on activities of an alleged illicit petroleum products refining syndicate operating adjacent to Agbor Junction, Benin City, Edo State via a whistle blower through the recently created Nigeria National Petroleum Company’s (NNPC) Command and Control Centre Portal.
A statement signed by CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja , on Sunday, September 11, 2022 disclosed that consequent to the raid on the illegal petroleum refining site, three empty DAF Trucks, 31,,) immobile surface tanks – 7 of which were loaded with unspecified quantity of petroleum products, were discovered by the Police.
Additionally, two suspects, one Chinedu Iyanabor aged 18 and Sunday Iyagbesun aged 52, were arrested during the raid.
The statement noted that preliminary investigations revealed the site was also used as a dumpsite for petroleum products.
Confiance News recalls that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has tasked special enforcement units on prevention of activities of economic saboteurs to ensure deployment of necessary manpower and other operational assets to ensure a total clampdown on criminal activities detriment to the economic growth of the nation.
More so, he has supervised the strengthening of the Unit with a charge to intensify efforts, in conjunction with local police officers, to sustain police approved operational standards in tackling economic sabotage, crimes and criminality in the country.
“All suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations, “ the statement explained.
He further tasked the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of the Unit on strict supervision of the Unit in compliance with the directives.
Confiance News also learnt from a recent report by Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited (NNPCL) that the country loses $700 million (N299.67billion : using I&E exchange rate) monthly to oil theft and vandalism at terminals.
*Cover Photo: Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba. Photo credit: Premium Times.
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