The Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering in the office of the Inspector-General of Police has cracked down on some “criminal” syndicate who specialises in conveying refined petroleum products to Cameroon.

Specifically, no fewer than 13 trucks with stolen crude oil and refined Automotive Gas Oil also known as Diesel, as well as Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol were recovered during various operations that were conducted in July.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to journalists at a press briefing in Abuja, also said at least 17 persons were arrested during the operations across the country by the task force.

It was reported that President, Bola Tinubu, had a few weeks ago directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, to coordinate all heads of security forces to ensure that stolen of crude oil ends.

Speaking at the briefing, Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who was flanked by the Commander of the Special Task Force, Bayo Sulaiman, explained that the suspects were arrested by the operatives in Adamawa State.

The senior police officer added that preliminary investigations conducted by the force showed that the syndicate specialises in taking crude oil as well as refined petroleum products to the neighbouring countries.

“On 13th July, 2024, operatives of the Taskforce attached to Adamawa Sector intercepted 3 Toyota Corolla cars laden with 130 jerry cans of 25 litre capacity filled with petroleum product reasonably suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit.

“One of the cars was carrying 50 jerry cans and the other two carrying 40 jerry cans each, making a total of 130 jerry cans. The vehicles and exhibits have been impounded at the Girei Divisional Police Headquarters, Adamawa State, while the suspects were taken into custody.

“Preliminary Investigation revealed that the culprits are part of an organized criminal syndicate specialized in smuggling petroleum products into neighboring Cameroon specifically,” the force spokesman said.

Conducting journalists round the impounded trucks, the commander of the task force, Bayo Sulaiman, said all 17 suspects arrested have been charged to court, saying the unit of the force doesn’t hold suspects unnecessarily.

Sulaiman, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, explained that the police have sought court’s nod to forfeit the vehicles, trucks and other exhibits to the government.

He said, “All 17 suspects have been charged. Those who have been charged to court, some of them are in prison now. The exhibits are now becoming the government’s property.

“Both the content and the vehicle; we have gotten some orders. Exhibits are now government properties. Our legal section is working very hard to make sure that we get conviction on this thing.” (Daily Trust)

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