• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Navy arrests 2 bunkering suspects, destroys boats in Ondo

Navy arrests 2 bunkering suspects, destroys boats in Ondo

Two illegal oil bunkering suspects have been arrested by the operatives of the Nigerian Navy, with two boats belonging to the suspects, also destroyed in Ondo State.

Danjuma Ndanusa, a navy captain and commanding officer, Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base ( FOB), told journalists in Igbokoda that the destruction of the seizures was to forestall heinous crimes.

According to Ndanusa, 338 jerry cans and some quantities of adulterated Auto motive Gas Oil ( AGO) also known as diesel, were also seized from the suspects during a patrol on the Igbokoda coastal- line, Ilaje local government area of the state.

The commanding officer further explained that some of the bunkering suspects on sighting the navy patrol gun boats, fled into the creeks, making it impossible to nab all of them.

He said two of the suspects were apprehended and handed-over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for onward prosecution.

Ndanusa warned criminals in the area to desist from criminal activities and illegal businesses on the coastal area of the state, as there would be no hiding place for them.

According to him, the navy will continue to resist every attempt by criminals and their illegal businesses to thrive on the Nigerian coastal lines especially in Ondo State.

“Our personnel are on the alert and combat ready to forestall bunkering, illegal refining of crude oil and all criminal activities inimical to the development and sovereignty of the country, said Ndanusa on Tuesday.

The officer lauded the naval high command in Abuja and Lagos for their intelligence support for the personnel to flush out criminals from the coastal areas.

He, however, urged government at all levels to create job opportunities for teeming youths in the Niger-delta to reduce various criminal activities in the area.

It would be recalled that the navy recently paraded nine bunkering suspects, 92 drums of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, and handed them over to the Okitipupa command of the NSCDC.