Kaduna Police nab six over theft of petrol-laden tanker
The suspects
Operatives of Kaduna State Police Command have arrested six people over alleged stealing of 40,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
Spokesperson for the Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mohammed Jalige, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
He said: “Kaduna Police Command received a complaint through the Area Commander Jere Area Office to the fact that the complainant, one Bakura Bukar of Mararaban Jos, Kaduna, on April 16, entrusted his truck marked BAM 02 XA loaded with 40,000 litres of PMS valued at N6,2 million to his driver for onward delivery from Lagos to Kaduna.
“On April 18, at about 2300hrs at Issah U-turn along Abuja-Kaduna expressway, the driver had a flat tyre and had to pull off the road to replace the deflated tyre.
“Three unknown persons came in a sedan car and attacked him and his motor boy.
“They took and tied them in a nearby bush. The victims later struggled and freed themselves and returned to the road and discovered that the truckload of PMS had been taken away to an unknown destination, hence the report.”
Jalige explained that with the strength of the report, the Commissioner of Police ordered a full scale investigation into the matter and detectives swung into action with a view to apprehending the culprits.
The team, he said, acted on intelligence and succeeded in arresting three suspects namely; Habibu Mohammed, Halilu Mohammed and Isa Mohammed in connection with the offences.
According to him, further investigations revealed that two filling stations were used in disposing of the stolen products.
“The operators of the said filling stations who are strong collaborators of the crime were equally apprehended namely; Isa Yusuf, Sutajo Lawal and Stephen Habila.
“The operatives pushed the process of investigation further and also recovered the operational vehicle of the criminals, one (1) Jackknife and the stolen fuel truck as well as the PMS product.
“Meanwhile, the suspects have since confessed to have been a syndicate that is notorious for such acts and are currently assisting the process of investigation.
“They will all be charged to court on completion of the same. However a deliberate effort by the Command is geared towards apprehending all the remaining syndicate members as well as their collaborators if any to prevent future occurrence,” he added.
MEANWHILE, the Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku has called on the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTD) to take advantage of the Command’s designated emergency contacts to report any breakdown of tanker along the road so that a nearby police formation will be contacted for security coverage through the period of repair.
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