Suspect admits buying stolen fuel

The suspects ...on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
| credits: Eniola Akinkuotu

A Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit of the Police Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, has arrested four suspected pipeline vandals.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects –Christopher Abiodun, Azeez Taofeek , Shittu Abdulhakeem and Tunde Adekutu –were arrested at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, with three tankers laden with petrol.

Abiodun, who is the owner of one of the trucks, said he was not a vandal but only patronised the other suspects. He said it was cheaper and more accessible to buy from vandals than to queue up at depot.

He said, “I am not a vandal but a buyer of the product from them. On that day, I was escorting one of my tankers from Warri, Delta State, to Ijebu Ode where I have a petrol station.

“I do not know how they (vandals) got the product. All I know is that as soon as my suppliers get the product, they will inform me and I will go for it with my tanker.

“I am sorry, I know it is illegal but for some of us who are not doing too well in the oil business we cannot afford to pay all the taxes they demand at depots before getting supply.”

Another suspect, Adekutu, urged the police to be lenient with him because that he was only hired to drive the truck.

He said, “I was recruited some months ago as a tanker driver. My duty is to wait for my boss at a junction and he would drive the tanker to where I always wait for him. I would then drive to Lagos or wherever the buyer is. My duty is to drive. So, I do not bother to ask questions.

“Security agents do not usually arrest us because we have documents but I do not know whether they are fake or not. Most of the time, my boss would find out whether there were security agents on the road or not, before we move. Normally we move at night.”

Describing how the suspects were arrested, the officer in charge of the task force, Friday Ibadin, said he received a report that some vandals were transporting stolen petrol from Warri in Delta State to Ijebu Ode.

According to him, four of the suspects were arrested around MRS junction, Ijebu Ode, while others fled on sighting policemen.

Describing the act as economic sabotage, the spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Frank Mba, warned vandals to desist from such criminal act.

He said the suspects would soon be charged to court.