The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives attached to the IGP Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering successfully busted an illegal petroleum refining operation in Edo State in the late hours of August 7, 2022.
This follows the interception of intelligence on activities of an alleged illicit petroleum products refining syndicate operating adjacent to Agbor Junction, Benin City, Edo State via a whistleblower through the recently created Nigeria National Petroleum Company’s (NNPC) Command and Control Centre Portal.
Disclosing this in a statement made available to Sunday PUNCH on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that consequent to the raid on the illegal petroleum refining site, 3 empty DAF Trucks, 31 immobile surface tanks – 7 of which were loaded with unspecified quantity of petroleum products, were discovered by the Police.
He said that two suspects, Chinedu Iyanabor aged 18 and Sunday Iyagbesun aged 52, were also arrested during the raid, adding that preliminary investigations reveal the site was also used as a dump site for petroleum products.
According to CSP Adejobi, the Inspector-General of Police has tasked special enforcement units on prevention of activities of economic saboteurs to ensure the deployment of necessary manpower and other operational assets to ensure a total clampdown on criminal activities detriment to the economic growth of the nation.
He noted that the IGP has similarly supervised the strengthening of the Unit with a charge to intensify efforts, in conjunction with local police officers, to sustain police-approved operational standards in tackling economic sabotage, crimes and criminality in the country.
The IGP was equally said to have charged the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Unit to embark on strict supervision of the Unit in compliance with the directives.
All suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations, CSP Adejobi confirmed.