The Federal Government has recorded a boost in its fight against illegal oil bunkering as the Nigerian Army (NA) say they have arrested 12 persons over alleged bunkering.
Brig-Gen. Edi Effiong, the Garrison Commander, announced the arrest while parading the suspects before newsmen on Tuesday, in Port Harcourt.
Effiong said that the Army also arrested one other person, named Desmond Okeh, for alleged impersonation.
“The troops of the 6 Division of the NA arrested the 12 suspects.
“We picked them while siphoning crude oil from the Rumuekpe/Okporowo pipeline near the Okoba community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State,” he stated.
Effiong, who is also the Commander of Sector 3, Operation Delta Safe Military Joint Taskforce, said the troop would hand over the suspects to the appropriate agency for prosecution.
“These ones that have been grabbed, first of all, we will profile them. We are not the prosecuting agency. So, we will hand them over to the prosecuting agency.
“For oil bunkering activities, it is the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps that is in charge.
“After profiling and getting some information from them, we will hand them over to the appropriate agency for prosecution.
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“We are here to checkmate the activities of illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.
“If we do not checkmate these activities, they will affect us and the economy.
“So, we want to ensure that the oil bunkers do not get the freedom to do whatever they want so as not to affect the economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Spokesperson for 6 Division, Lt. Col. Ikedichi Iweha, said the fake soldier was from Okija in Anambra State.
Iweha said this was the second time the Division would arrest the suspect for the same crime.
He said the Army arrested Okeh on July 6 by the Provost group of the 6 Div in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the suspect was fully kitted in military camouflage and a fake military Identity Card.
“Okey was bearing a fake duty number of 16NA/75/2038 and the name ‘Lance Corporal Okeh Desmond’ at the time of his arrest.
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