Three suspected oil thieves arrested by the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, FOB, Ibaka in a boat carrying crude oil worth N32 million in Akwa Ibom State have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Akwa Ibom Command.
Speaking this Thursday while handing over the suspects and the seized items, the Commanding Officer of the Base, Captain Uche Aneke, disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Tuesday morning following an intelligence report about the activities of suspected criminals involved in crude oil theft within the Navy’s area of operations.
According to him team confiscated a wooden boat was discovered to be laden with about 60,000 litres of product suspected to be stolen crude oil, outboard engines and a pumping machine.
“The vessel was discovered to have 11 Geepee tanks which were loaded with about 60,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, the product was overloaded from offshore Ibeno in Akwa Ibom,” Captain Aneke revealed.
While warning against such criminality in Nigerian waters, Captain Aneke reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to combating maritime crimes in the State.
