Ex-prison chief, others jailed over oil theft

Navy arrests stowaways, recover stolen

 petroleum products  

JUSTICE C. O. Ogisi of Delta State High Court, Sapele, yesterday convicted and sentenced a former Deputy Comptroller in charge of Ogwashi-Uku Prison in Delta State, DCP Diete Wure Wisdom and a Senior Inspector of Prison, Ayamede Peter to three years imprisonment for stealing 27, 200 litres of automotive gas oil stored in exhibit trucks, left in the custody of the prison. 

   In Lagos, the Western Naval Command has arrested seven stowaways who attempted to leave Nigeria for Spain.

  The Command also recovered dozens of stolen petroleum products from suspected oil thieves.

They were prosecuted on a four-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), on the strength of evidence that the duo conspired to sell products in three exhibits trucks: Mack tanker  with registration number XD 605 JJT and Man Diesel Lorries with registration numbers, XD 789 ENU and XD 620 FGG, filled with AGO.

    The petitioner had alleged that after the sale of the products, the drums and the tankers were refilled with water on the directives of DCP Diete.

    Upon their arraignment on November 1, 2013, the convicts had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  Addressing reporters while parading the stowaways, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval command, Rear Admiral Ango noted that the suspects were heading for Spain.

  “Nigerian Navy Ship Ikot-Abasi, a patrol boat of the Western Naval Command while on routine patrol arrested seven stowaways on board MT ELECTRA BARI off Lagos Fairway BUOY on Sunday,  February  22, 2015. MT ELECTRA BARI is a motor tanker which  came to Nigeria to discharge petroleum products at the Apapa tank farms. 

  “Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested persons boarded the vessel while she was discharging her products and their intention was to follow the vessel to Holland. On completion of its operations, the ship with IMO Number 941682 left for Lome, Togo. It was while in Togo, she discovered some strange people on board and established communication with the  Nigerian Navy Ship Ikot-Abasi which effected the arrest of the stowaways,” Ango said.

  Five of the stowaways are Nigerians while two others are Ghanains.

  The suspects were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service, Seaport Command for further investigation and prosecution.

  The command also showcased dozens of drums loaded with petroleum products seized from suspected oil thieves in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

  According to Ango, “Nigerian Navy Ship Benin while on routine patrol on Thursday  January 22  intercepted 15metre Cotonou Fibre Boat with items suspected to be stolen petroleum products at the Single Bouy  Mooring (SBM) outside Lagos Bar. Three suspects were also arrested in the process.

     Investigation by navy intelligence revealed that there were a total of 78 drums of 250litres capacity of which 68 were loaded with petroleum products.