IRT Operatives arrest two for siphoning fuel via wells

Juliana Francis

IGP, Mohammed Adamu

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested two suspects for allegedly siphoning and selling petroleum products from a pipeline belong to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

The operatives discovered two wells, at Ejigbo area of Lagos State, which is believed the suspects siphoned the fuel.

The two suspects, Mrs Victoria Ogunsomi, 58, and Shafe Abayomi, are believed to be owners of the wells located at No. 4 and 2, Surprise Avenue Ejibgo, Lagos. They were arrested by IRT Unit, headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

Ogunsomi and Abayomi were said to have dug 75 foot wells in their compound, which is located few meters away from the NNPC pipeline, and then connected pipes with submersible pumping machines into the well, linking with the pipelines. 

It was further gathered that whenever the NNPC was transporting its products along the pipeline, Ogunsomi and Abayomi, whose buildings are located side by side, would put on their pumping machines and syphon the products into jerry cans and tanker trucks. 

Residents, who were scared that the activities of the men could lead to fire outbreak in the community, alert IRT Operatives.

The suspects were alleged to have made millions of naira from the business. 

A source said: “We got calls from concerned residents in the area about the activities of Victoria and Mr Abayomi who are residents of Surprise Avenue, and had been siphoning petroleum products from NNPC pipeline located close to their area.  These suspects dug wells which had underground pipes connected to the NNPC pipeline within area. Whenever the NNPC is transporting it products along that pipeline, their products usually surge into those wells and are then pumped into tanker trucks by owners of the wells. The big trucks normally come at night to carry the products. Acting on the information, we stormed the buildings and found the wells with pipes and pumps. At Victoria’s apartment, we found jerry cans filled with petroleum products, but Abayomi smartly dismantled the pipes and pumping machine in his well before we got to his compound. We’re currently working on tracing and arresting people who have been buying these products from them.”

Ogunsomi and Abayomi denied being pipeline vandals. They, however, said they had regularly scooped petroleum products from the ruptured NNPC pipeline located close to their house. 

They added that the petroleum products flow into their wells, which they sell to people in their neighbourhood. Ogunsomi, a widow, with three children, said: “My late husband bought the land where we built our house in 1984. We dug that well in the year 1999. The well was for water, but we later discovered that there was petrol in it. We contacted and alerted our Landlords Association. We all agreed that we would go to the police station, and local government, but they advised us to go to NNPC. The NNPC sent two delegates, who took samples of the water. After that, they didn’t come again.  I have been arrested before by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), because I sold just three jerry cans of this petrol to someone in 2016. The Police released me and warned me never to go close to the well again. I’m sorry I went to it again and I was arrested.”

Wadume: Soldiers at checkpoint shot at us-Police witness tells court

Tunde Oyesina, Abuja 

 A prosecution witness, Felix Adolije, in the ongoing trial of a kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, aka Wadume, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday, said soldiers at roadblocks along Ibi town in Taraba State, shot at their operational vehicle.

Adolije insisted the action of the soldiers caused their vehicle to somersault three times.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had taken over the case from the police to enhance speedy trial.

Meanwhile, at the resumed trial, counsels to all the parties expressed their readiness to continue with the trial.

In the same vein, counsels to some of the defendants at the trial also argued their clients bail applications respectively.

But while testifying further on the incident, Adolije, a serving Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to the IGP response team, said he alongside one Sergeant Emmanuel, narrowly escaped death.

Testifying further, Adolije said: “Sometimes in August, there was a case of kidnapping and collection of ransom in Taraba which was reported through a petition to the Inspector-General of Police. The IGP then ordered that it be taken to our department for further investigation. After going through the petition, we discovered that the kidnappers were demanding million naira ransoms using four telephone numbers.”

According to the witness, his team later traced one of the users of the number to Ibi town in Taraba and swung into action.

He said: “When we got to Jalingo on August 5, we reported to the State Commissioner of Police in Taraba and told him our mission. He endorsed our letter and further introduced us via another letter to the Wukari Area Commander. When we set out on the journey to Wukari from Jalingo, a journey of about 207 kilometer, a sergeant who knew the terrain was attached to us and we wore our operational vest and face-cap all through. On our way, we met three road blocks mounted by police, mobile police force and the last one by soldiers. We stopped at each roadblock to explain our mission on request.”

However, Adolije lamented that after arresting the suspect in Ibi town, and on their way back to Jalingo, they had problems at the roadblock mounted by soldiers who they had earlier encountered.

He said: “One of the soldiers said that the person we arrested was an influential man in town. At that point, I told him we just passed here not long and wondered how he knew the suspect in our tinted glass vehicle. After further explanations, they allowed us to proceed. As soon as we left the scene, not long after, we noticed a Sharon bus with full-light trailing us. At first, we did not anticipate anything dangerous until another Hilux with a machine gun overtook our vehicle and started firing at us. The last thing I heard was ‘Oh Jesus Oh Jesus’ by our driver and the vehicle somersaulted.”

The witness further stated: “At that point, everyone started scampering to safety. It was already 7pm or thereabout. I later saw Sergeant Emma where I was hidden and we were both trying to escape into the bush, having left my pistol and AK-47 behind in the vehicle. Mobile police vehicle later came to carry us and took us to Wukari General Hospital, after rescuing us from some locals who tried to kill us, having mistaken us for kidnappers.”

The trial Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, adjourned the matter to July 1, for continuation of trial, cross-examination of witness and ruling on bail applications made on behalf of the defendants.