42,000 stolen diesel has been hands over to the NSCDS by the Nigeria navy

The Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt has handed over 42,000 litres of suspected stolen diesel stored in 160 drums and boats to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for prosecution.
The navy also handed over a wooden boat containing 70,000 litres of crude oil and 10 suspected oil thieves to the NSCDC.
Capt Olusegun Soyemi, Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, while handing over the stolen items, disclosed that naval operatives made the seizure following a recent raid embarked upon by members of his command.
He said the raid was aimed at putting an end to colossal damage to the environment by activities of oil thieves, who, according to him, were puncturing pipelines to siphone crude oil illegally.
“Following intelligence tipoff on January 13, our patrol team raided Alakiri creek and impounded a wooden boat containing 20,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.
“While interrogating two suspects arrested during the raid, they confessed to have sourced the product from the Ship Builders Yard situated in Port Harcourt.
“Based on this new information, we conducted a mop up operation on the facility and discovered 100 drums all loaded with products suspected to be illegally refined diesel.
“We arrested five suspects at the scene and also seized two wooden boats, speed boat, and four tanker trucks waiting to lift products at the facility,” he said.
Soyemi further noted that the yard belonging to the Federal Government had been sealed off by naval operatives.
He disclosed that troops on patrol of Abonema Wharf waterways sighted and seized a speed boat drifting amid stream.
According to him, “our patrol team accosted the boat and discovered 4,500 litres of illegal refined diesel and arrested captain of the boat.
“Similarly, on January 24 naval troops at Arugbano’ close to Orubiri area in the state, seized a wooden boat carrying 60 drums of stolen diesel and speed boat.
“Two suspects who were transporting the products without clearance from the navy and other relevant government agencies were subsequently arrested.”
While receiving the suspects and the petroleum products, NSCDC Head of anti-Vandal Unit, Rivers command, Mr Steven Morgan, said that thorough and forensic investigations would be carried out and that the suspects would be prosecuted if found guilty.