The Nigeria Police Force has arrested four individuals suspected of oil theft and recovered 40,000 litres of petroleum products in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The arrest was made by operatives from the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering in collaboration with the Rivers State Command’s Department of Operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the news in a statement on Friday, noting that the suspects were apprehended at a storage facility in Trans Amadi, where they were allegedly handling illegally acquired crude oil.
“The operation took place on September 12, 2024, leading to the discovery of a facility used for storing and processing stolen petroleum products,” Adejobi said.
“We arrested four suspects during the raid: Emmanuel Nwachi, 58; Adamu Bala, 35; Nura Musa, 22; and Bashir Abubakar, 28. Additionally, 40,000 litres of petroleum products were recovered, which had been stored in 67 white storage tanks.”
According to the police, the site was dismantled, and the equipment used in the illegal operation was confiscated.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reaffirmed the Force’s dedication to eradicating oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage. “We are committed to ensuring that those involved in criminal activities such as oil bunkering are brought to justice,” he said.
The arrests and subsequent recovery of the stolen petroleum products come as part of the Force’s broader efforts to combat crime and corruption across the country.
