The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has reported that a suspect apprehended with unlawfully refined petroleum products in Uyo has been taken into custody.
According to Wilson Uwujaren, a spokeswoman for the commission, the suspect was apprehended with the merchandise concealed in reinforced plastic bags tucked into numerous sack bags.
The suspect was apprehended by the Nigerian Army’s 2 Brigade in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and handed over to the EFCC on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, according to the EFCC.
The Commission’s Position
Mr Uwujaren said the suspected dealer, Endurance Asuquo, was apprehended on Itu-Calabar Road in Uyo on February 27.
According to him, the EFCC has launched an investigation into alleged illegal petroleum product sellers in Uyo.
According to Mr. Uwujaren, the suspect was apprehended in a truck with the registration number DRK 700 XA, which was carrying roughly 5,000 litres of illegally refined diesel and kerosene.
He stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court after the inquiry was completed.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Banking Group and Heirs Holdings, recently warned that Nigeria’s inability to reach its crude oil output limit and profit from high oil prices is due to theft, with the country losing up to 95 percent of its oil production to thieves.
Due to oil theft, Austin Avuru, the founding MD/CEO of Seplat Energy and Executive Chairman of AA Holdings, has warned that Nigeria’s oil output has reached an emergency critical level, with only about 80% of production making it to the terminals.
These calls prompted the Federal Government to redouble its efforts to combat the massive cases of oil theft affecting the country’s oil industry, claiming that it had developed a three-part solution to the problem.
According to Nairametrics, Nigerian police have detained 41 vehicles and arrested 42 people in their campaign against illegal bunkering and pipeline damage. Of the 42 suspects, 21 have been charged in court so far, with 17 still under investigation, and four have been convicted.
