Police arrest six persons for allegedly stealing tanker load of petrol

The Kaduna Police Command has arrested six persons over alleged stealing of 40,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

The fuel theft was disclosed in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mohammed Jalige, made available to Journalists in Kaduna on Monday.

According to the police spokesman, ” the Kaduna Police Command received a complaint through the Area Commander Jere Area Office to fact that the complainant one Bakura Bukar of Mararaban Jos, Kaduna on the 16th April, 2022 entrusted his truck with Reg.No BAM 02 XA loaded with 40,000 litres of PMS valued at six million two hundred and eight thousand naira (N6,208,000.00) to his driver for onward delivery from Lagos to Kaduna.”

“On the 18th April, 2022 at about 2300hrs at Issah U-turn along Abuja – Kaduna road, the driver had a flat tyre and have to pull off the road in order 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 free themselves and returned to the road and discovered that the truck load of PMS have been taken away to an unknown destination, hence the report,” Jalige said.

It explained that with the strength of the report, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter as detectives were immediately detailed and swung into action with a view to apprehending the culprits.

The team succeeded in arresting three suspects  – Habibu Mohammed, Halilu Mohammed and Isa Mohammed.

Further investigations revealed that two filling stations were used in disposing 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) Jack knife and the stolen fuel truck as well as the PMS product.

“Meanwhile, the suspects have since confessed to having been a syndicate notorious for such acts and are currently assisting the process of investigation,” Jalige said.

“They will all be charged to court on completion of same. However, a deliberate effort by the Command is geared towards apprehending all the remaining syndicate members as well as their collaborators if any in order to prevent future occurrence.”