Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have quizzed ten people suspected to be oil thieves.
The 10 alleged oil thieves
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigations of ten (10) suspected oil thieves handed over to it on Thursday 1 February, 2018 by the Nigerian Navy.
The ten suspects: Kolawole A Ezekiel; Olisa Basil Chukwutem; Friday Utibe; Emi Azubike; Oriyomi Olatunji; Ushiagwu Simon; Salihu Oricha Jimoh; Onche John, Onovuakpo John and Ubong Bredan, were handed over to the EFCC alongside a vessel: MT BREAKTHROUGH, with registration number IMO 9095723, by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER, Naval Base, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State for further investigation and prosecution.
NNS Pathfinder’s Commander, Navy Captain Victor Choji, explained that, the suspects were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER's patrol team deployed for anti-crude oil theft and illegal bunkering operations around Dawes Island, Port Harcourt. The vessel, laden with an estimated 4,757 metric tons of products suspected to be crude oil, while under surveillance, was discovered to have switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) to evade surveillance in order to carry out an economic crime with the products onboard.
The suspects would soon be charged to court when investigations are concluded.