Detectives attached to the Inspector
General of Police Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism have arrested 11
suspects, plus three managing directors of three petrol stations in connection
with vandalism at the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The managing directors have been
identified as Lukman Onabanjo,
Lukman Eluku, and Lukman Smith. The filling stations are Bongo, Azab and Gaffy.
The policemen recovered four trucks
loaded with 115000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as fuel from
the suspects.
The Commander of the Task Force, a Chief
Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr. Olumese Valentine, said that a 16000
liters truck, loaded with 50-liter jerry-cans, was intercepted by his men, led
by the Lagos Sector Commander, ASP, Akinlere Adetayo, at Ishawo, Agric area of
Ikorodu, Lagos.
The police said that the suspects
were arrested at Gaffy Petrol Station, while discharging fuel into a storage
tank.
Valentine said: “Two other trucks,
loaded with 66000 liters of PMS, siphoned from a vandalised pipeline, belonging
to the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, (NNPC), were also intercepted at
Bugon and Azab Petrol Stations. The fourth truck, loaded with 33000 liters
from Ilara, Ogun State, was intercepted on its way to Ijebu Ode.”
The managing directors told the
police in their statements that they weren’t aware that the products they
purchased were siphoned from vandalised NNPC pipelines.
One of the suspects, Mr. Solomon
Afolabi 30, who sold over four trucks to Gaffy Petrol Station, insisted that
the directors and their managers of the petrol stations were aware that the
product he sold to them was stolen.
Afolabi, who described himself a
marketer, said that part of his job was to source for fillings stations that were
interested in buying PMS from vandals.
Afolabi said: “I was introduced into
vandalism by one Baba Alia, who buys PMS in jerry cans from boys in creek at
Arepo. It’s Baba Alia who used to buy and store the product in his shop at
Ishawo. I sell for N79 per liter and I make N1 as profit on each liter. I’ve
sold over four trucks to Gaffy Oil and Gas, where I was arrested.”
He added that Gaffy usually buys
between 11000 to 16000 liters of PMS. He doesn’t issue receipt or waybill
because he doesn’t have company.
He further explained: “The director
normally calls and makes his request. When I deliver the product, he would
instruct his manager to pay me in cash!”
Director of the petrol station, Lukmon
Gaffer Elukwu, said: “I’m the managing director of Gaffy Oil and Gas. I was
called that some policemen were at my station. They accused me of trading
on vandalized petroleum product. I was surprised when I got this call
because I usually buy my products from a petroleum marketer, known as Solo. I
was preparing for the coronation ceremony of the Oba of Ikorodu when I got the
call from the police. A lot of marketers come to my office seeking to do
business with me and I chose Solo. I have bought three trucks
from Solo. I’m not aware that the ones I bought from Solo were stolen.”
A manager, Adesimilola Ogunsola, said
that he was also not aware that the PMS Solomon sold to him was from vandalised
pipeline.
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