The naval personnel, with a driver of a Mercedes Benz self-loader, Okugbe Lucky and his conductor, Chime Chukwuka were arrested at about 7pm on that fateful day.
It was learnt that two other naval personnel, staff sergeant PO Ekon and sergeant L S Elijah, who were also allegedly involved in the criminal act, escaped.
Shaibu, with two of his colleagues on guard duty at the
Jetty were rounded up by the police based on information that they were stealing items from the yard to sell to unknown buyers.
The personnel, with the connivance of his colleagues brought in the driver and conductor, with the Mercedes Benz self-loader, marked Edo XE 763 BEN, to carry the transformer from the yard for sale.
They had already succeeded in carrying the transformer with the self-loader and were at the point of leaving the yard, when the Policemen rounded them up.
In the process, staff sergeant P O Ekong and sergeant L S Elijah escaped, leaving Shaibu with two others to their fate.
Aside from the transformer, the police caught the
suspects with another transformer, which had been missing from the yard for long. The Police under the watch of a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Kelvin Zuokumor, have launched a manhunt for the fleeing naval personnel with the aim of arresting them for prosecution.
The transformers, allegedly stolen, are part of the
properties seized by the Federal Government two years ago. The younger brother
of Ex-Niger Delta Freedom Fighter, Hon. George Ekpemupolo, confirmed the report
of the theft.
According to the former Warri South-West Council Chairman, "They arrived at about 6:45pm. I was called by somebody at Chevron Clinic. He said that he saw people entering Tompolo's yard with self-loader and that
I should come and confirm if we had sold the things in the yard. I immediately called the police, and when we got there, they were already making away the transformer. The Lance Corporal was arrested, along with the driver and conductor of the self-loader. The naval pleaded that we take the matter easy with him, but I insisted he should be arrested and taken to the police station for questioning and prosecution."
Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, Media Consultant to Tompolo, said that property worth billions of Naira had been stolen from the yard since the Navy occupation of the yard.
Bebenimibo stated that they had reported these stealing to government top hierarchy, but nothing had allegedly had been done to check the situation.
During interrogation at the Charge Room at the A Division Police Station, Shaibu confessed to have committed the crime. Shaibu, who disclosed the names of his fleeing colleagues, said they were going to sell the stolen transformer at the rate of N700, 000.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhhamd Mustafa, confirmed the report, saying, "The Naval Personnel is in our custody. The matter is currently being investigated. We are trying to get the military, particularly the Nigerian Navy.”
The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore, Ibrahim Dewu, said the Navy was trying to confirm the report. He later said: “We cannot comment until investigation is completed."
According to the former Warri South-West Council Chairman, "They arrived at about 6:45pm. I was called by somebody at Chevron Clinic. He said that he saw people entering Tompolo's yard with self-loader and that
I should come and confirm if we had sold the things in the yard. I immediately called the police, and when we got there, they were already making away the transformer. The Lance Corporal was arrested, along with the driver and conductor of the self-loader. The naval pleaded that we take the matter easy with him, but I insisted he should be arrested and taken to the police station for questioning and prosecution."
Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, Media Consultant to Tompolo, said that property worth billions of Naira had been stolen from the yard since the Navy occupation of the yard.
Bebenimibo stated that they had reported these stealing to government top hierarchy, but nothing had allegedly had been done to check the situation.
During interrogation at the Charge Room at the A Division Police Station, Shaibu confessed to have committed the crime. Shaibu, who disclosed the names of his fleeing colleagues, said they were going to sell the stolen transformer at the rate of N700, 000.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhhamd Mustafa, confirmed the report, saying, "The Naval Personnel is in our custody. The matter is currently being investigated. We are trying to get the military, particularly the Nigerian Navy.”
The Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore, Ibrahim Dewu, said the Navy was trying to confirm the report. He later said: “We cannot comment until investigation is completed."
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