Police Raid Yields 67 Tanks of Stolen Fuel, Four Arrests Made in Ongoing War on Oil Theft

Police Smash Oil Theft Syndicate in Port Harcourt, Arrest Four Suspects.

In a major crackdown on oil theft and economic sabotage, the Nigerian police have arrested four suspects and seized 40,000 litres of stolen petroleum products in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The operation, carried out by the IGP Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB) in collaboration with the Rivers State Command, led to the discovery of a storage facility used for dealing and processing illegally acquired crude oil in Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.

The suspects, identified as Emmanuel Nwachi, Adamu Bala, Nura Musa, and Bashir Abubakar, were arrested on September 12, 2024, and are currently in custody.

According to the Force Spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police recovered 67 white storage tanks containing 40,000 litres of petroleum products and destroyed the site, recovering equipment and machines used in the illegal activities.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has reiterated the force’s commitment to tackling oil theft and economic sabotage, vowing to bring perpetrators to book.

This operation marks a significant milestone in the police’s efforts to combat oil theft and protect Nigeria’s economy.