2 Nabbed For Diversion Of Fuel, Economic Sabotage

Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (Force-CID), Lagos Annex, Alagbon, have arrested two suspects for alleged complicity in economic sabotage and diversion of aviation fuel worth N46 million.

The police public relations officer, Force-CID, Lagos Annex, Alagbon, DSP Oluniyi Ogundeyi, who revealed this to journalists, gave the names of the suspects as Tope Ojo and Nojeem Haruna, both men.

The police said the duo arrested was due to a petition addressed to the inspector-general of police (IGP) by a civic-minded Nigerian, alerting the Force-CID of plots by some hoodlums to intercept and divert petroleum products worth billions of Naira.

‘’Hence, preliminary investigations by the annex in compliance with the IGP’s directives, revealed that a tanker-trailer loaded with aviation fuel was intercepted by the principal suspect – Tope Ojo, and his gang members at Ilesha in Osun State.

‘’The suspects, having taken control of the tanker-trailer, successfully trans-loaded the product into another tanker before proceeding to maliciously destroy the initial tanker conveying the product.

‘’Detailed investigations conducted by the Force-CID, Lagos Annex, Alagbon, have since established a prima facie case of economic sabotage, diversion of aviation fuel, stealing and malicious damage, against the arrested suspects and other members of their gang still at large,’’ the police posited.

The police said investigators from the Annex are beaming their search light on habitual receivers of the stolen products and other suspects that aid and abet the crime, by providing transportation and storage facilities for the stolen products.

The assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) in-charge of the Force-CID, Lagos Annex, Alagbon, AIG Frank Mba, has charged the investigators to ensure that all suspects linked to the crime are arrested and brought to book.