Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, BEECROFT have uncovered an alleged illegal 400 thousand litre-capacity bunker of Automated Gas Oil, AGO, also known as diesel, at a private Lekki residence, Lagos state....CONTINUE READING
The discovery, according to the Navy, is sequel to credible intelligence received to the effect that a gas tanker was spotted loading at the Elegushi Beach.“Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday), we got intelligence that a white bus was loading petroleum products at Elegushi Beach.“We dispatched our Quick Response to the location.
Before they could get there, both the boat and bus had disappeared.“Our further surveillance of the white bus led to the discovery of this private apartment of an illegal fuel depot,” NNS BEECROFT Commander, Commodore Rafiu Taye Oladejo said.
While handing over the suspects and recovered products to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, at the Silver Bird Road, Ilasun in Lekki, Commodore Oladejo disclosed that the suspects operated an unregistered company, Ahmed Ariyo Sons Nigeria Limited, in a residential neighborhood.
He noted that the suspects were running an illegal family business without a care for the economic implication or safety of others.“It’s worrisome that an apartment of this nature is serving as illegal fuel depot undermining the economic and security implications on lives and properties for the general area should there be a case of fire disaster,” an apparently worried Commodore Oladejo noted.
According to him; “Eight tanks of 50,000 storage capacity each were kept in the compound with cumulatively, 57,000 litres of AGO in them during confiscation, while the truck had 7,000 litres and the white TM bus had 30 jerry-cans of 50 litres totalling 1,500 litres of AGO with an estimated market value of N89,000,000.
“In addition, there were 400 jerry-cans, 13 drums carefully stocked inside another TM bus as well as in the compound.
“It cannot be one-man show. However, we are not relenting to tackle oil theft in all ramifications in consonance with the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla’s directives to stamp oil theft out of the maritime environment.”
