The Rivers State Police command has arrested 3 suspects specialized in pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
The police also said it recovered 3 trucks already loaded with stolen crude.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Johnson Ogunshakin stated this while parading the suspects in Port Harcourt.
Ogunshakin maintained his stance that the Police under his Command would leave no stone unturned in its resolve to combat all sorts of crime in the state.
Ogunshakin said also police strategies against oil bunkerers in the state were beginning to yield positive results.
“Since my assumption of office, I have intimated you of my strong resolve to fight saboteurs of our nation’s economic growth. You and I know that the Federal Government of Nigeria is leaving no stone unturned in its fight against crude oil theft and vandalization of oil pipelines.
“Our strategies against bunkerers in many parts of the state are beginning to yield positive results and we will constantly re-assess our operational strategies in tune with the sophistication of the oil thieves”, he said.
He said 3 suspects were recently arrested around the Eleme-Akpajo area where they were trying to steal crude oil, adding that the suspects were now under police detention and would be made to face the law.
He said: “On Friday, March 28th, 2014, information was received by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command that groups of people, who specialize on pipeline vandalization are parading within Elelenwo Express way/Akpajo Eleme road, Port Harocurt.
“Upon the information, the Commissioner of Police’s monitoring team was immediately drafted to the scene of the oil bunkering and the perpetrators were caught in the act. They had already filled two specially-built 55, 000 litres trucks with crude oil and were about to load the third one when police team arrived at the scene. “As expected, the arrested suspects tried to evade arrest with tactics and antics, but our men, who were very determined to end oil bunkering, especially in Rivers State, overpowered them and impounded their trucks”, the Commissioner explained.
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