We Buy Fuel N40 Per Litre - Faces and confessions of Arrested Oil Pipeline Vandals

Acting on a tip off, the Lagos Policemen has arrested a syndicate group of notorious pipeline vandals.

Ajani and his accomplices

30-year old man named Jamiu Ajani, who is one of three suspected pipeline vandals, apprehended by the police in Lagos, has said they buy a litre of fuel for N40 from the Niger Delta women staying in the Ikorodu creeks.

He added that he had bought 15,000 litres of fuel for N600,000 in 300 jerrycans at the time when he and his two friends were arrested by the police.

It was learnt that Ajani and the two others, Demola Lawrence and Olu Raymond, were nabbed by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism in the Owode, Ikorodu area of the state.

The syndicate, along with others at large, allegedly specialised in dealing in fuel products stolen from vandalised pipelines of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted the truck and recovered 300 of 50-litre jerrycans loaded with petrol from the suspects, which they were reportedly transporting to buyers in various parts of Lagos on July 30.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Ajani, said;

“It was the desire to make more money that led me to this business. I was initially selling building materials in the Ketu area. But some of my customers who came from Ikorodu suggested that I should start buying and reselling fuel siphoned in the creeks.

They told me they were making a lot of money from it, and I begged them to show me the way. They said they would not take me to the inner creeks because I could not swim, but they would show me how I could buy the product, and resell it to people.

I was also introduced to some buyers in the Ijora and neighbouring areas. When I go to the creeks, I buy a litre of fuel for N40. So, I bought a 50-litre jerrycans of fuel for N2,000. But it goes for N4,000 when I take it out.

In May, which was my first outing, I bought 250 of 50-litre jerrycans from an Ijaw woman, identified only as Mama Bose. I loaded them in a truck, and took them inside Lagos to sell. I sold it for N1,000,000. The second time was in June, and I bought 150 jerrycans for N300,000.

My biggest operation was the one during which I was arrested. I bought 300 jerry cans from Mama Bose for N600,000. I was hoping to make a profit of same amount. But the police intercepted the products while on our way out and arrested me.”