I made N1m in one trip –Suspected oil thief

Three suspected oil pipeline vandals have been arrested at Arepo area of Ogun State with 300 jerrycans of 50 litres each loaded with stolen fuel. The Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism made the arrest. The suspects are identified as Jamiu Ajani (30), Demola Lawrence and Raymond. But, Ajani said he did not know he was dealing in an illegal business.
He said that he joined the trade because his friends, who were involved in it, were making a lot of money. According to him, he buys a 50-liter jerrycan for N2,000 and sells for N4,000.
He said: “I was formerly selling building materials at Ketu, before I ventured into this business. It was some of my customers, who used to patronise me from Ikorodu that lured me into this business. “I discovered that they were making more money. I begged them to show me the way.
They said I could not go into the creeks because I do not know how to swim. They said I could, however, always buy and sell the product to people who needed it. I was introduced to some buyers at Ijora and other parts of Lagos State.” Ajani explained that in his first attempt, a month ago, he bought 250 jerrycans of 50 litres each for N500,000, from an Ijaw woman and sold the product for N1,000,000.
“The second job was just last week. I bought 150 jerry-cans of 50 litres each for N300,000. My biggest job was the one that led to my arrest. I bought 300 jerrycans from Mama Bose, the Ijaw woman, for N600,000 and I was hoping to make a profit of over N600,000.
But my boy, Damilola, the driver of the truck and I were intercepted by police on our way to supply the products to buyers.” Reacting to the development, the task force Commander, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr Olumese Valentine, explained that pipeline explosions and killings would continue at Arepo if urgent steps were not taken by relevant agencies.
He said: “This syndicate is the reason vandals are still operating at Arepo. They are the ones receiving products from vandals. They sell to those who sell to end users. It is an organised syndicate with lots of people involved. “I received a tip-off and directed the Lagos Sector Commander of the Task Force, ASP Akelere Adetayo, to track them down. If we don’t clamp down on them, the vandals will always remain in business.”
The suspects were intercepted by the task force at Owode area of Ikorodu. They were driving a Chevrolet truck, loaded with the product. Investigation later showed that they were transporting the product to buyers in various parts of Lagos State. Valentine said the suspects used to operate within Ikorodu area of Lagos State. He said the suspects would soon be charged.