Navy transfers suspected oil thieves to EFCC

The Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy, on Wednesday, transferred three suspected oil thieves, a tugboat and a barge laden with 600,000 litres of illegally-refined diesel, seized from them, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for prosecution.

The suspects, arrested from a vessel by naval operatives, were identified as Kehinde Babade, Agbo Emmanuel and Uchechukwu Ndadim.

The Navy handed over the suspects to the EFCC for further investigations and possible prosecution at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

FOB Commander Capt. Ibrahim Suleiman said the Navy was determined to tackle illegal activities, especially oil theft, within its Area of Responsibilities (AoR).

He said the barge, which was impounded within the Brass waters, was laden with 600, 000 litres of illegally-refined diesel valued at N150 million.

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Suleiman said, “Wherever these products are taken to, we shall find them, arrest whoever is involved and hand them over to the EFCC, which will ensure the offenders are prosecuted.

“They are hurting the Nigerian economy. They are killing jobs because the international oil companies, whose pipelines they continue to break, will be forced to close down and disengage Nigerians, who are working for them.

“There is no way they will continue paying so much money and they are not getting value for their money. So, they will be forced to disengage people who ordinarily should be working.”

He said illegal oil refining was not only targeted at the economy, but also destroying the environment, adding that the Navy would stop the illegal practice.

Receiving the suspects, EFCC Principal Detective Superintendent, Shehu Jibrilla, assured the Navy of diligent investigation and possible prosecution.