‘We print fake NNPC invoice, waybill to deceive security agents’

NNPC invoice

Police arrest four suspected pipeline vandals
FOUR notorious suspected vandals of oil pipeline in Ikorodu, Lagos and Shagamu, Ogun State have been arrested by the Inspector General of Police’s Special Squad on Pipeline Vandalism. The suspected vandals were arrested with bundles of fake Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) waybills, and invoices of Conoil, Oando Oil, MRS Oil, and NUPENG stickers, among other documents.

The Guardian gathered that the suspects, who were intercepted at Ikorodu area of the state, after siphoning petroleum products from a pipeline belonging to the NNPC at Ikorodu and Shagamu area were heading to Ondo State to sell their loot.

They were, however, nabbed following intelligence received by the head of the intelligence unit of the Anti-Pipeline vandals, Niyi Festus, a Deputy Superintendent of police, who was directed to go after the oil crooks by the Commander of the Inspector General Special Squad on pipeline vandalism, Valentine Olumese, a Chief Superintendent of police (CSP).

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters annex, the Sector Commander of the squad in Lagos, Solomon Ubani, a Superintendent of police, noted that the squad arrested the suspects following a tip off. The suspects told newsmen that they were heading to Ondo State with their stolen products when the police intercepted them.

According to one of the kingpins, 38 years old Ganiyu Oresanya, who is also the printer of the fake documents, “we make sure that we do the background work of covering our loading with fake NNPC documents and invoice from oil marketing companies so that we would not be caught. I have been in the business for a long time. I am a printer and I print these documents myself. I did not know we would be caught because we are very careful in our jobs.

I supply all the fake documents while Mutiu Bello produces the tanker that comes to carry the product from the pipeline. Damilare is the one who loads the products. He is our oga.”

Mutiu Bello, the tanker driver said he was paid N70,000 to deliver the products to Ondo. “This is the first time I will be called for this job and I was promised N70,000. It was one Temidayo who called me for the job, but they didn’t tell me that it was oil stealing. They said I was going to trans-load products from jerry cans at that area. They told me they are into black market, but when I got there, I saw plenty jerry cans.”