Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The Joint Task Force, codenamed, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), says it has arrested two suspects facilitating illegal oil sales with fake documents, other items in the Niger Delta.
The Commander, Rear Admiral John Okeke, stated this on Thursday, while parading the suspects, in the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, in Yenagoa.
He said that the troops burst the syndicates facilitating illegal oil sales in the Niger Delta, arresting the ring leader and one other.
According to him, troops of the Joint Task Force early Tuesday morning arrested the ring leader, while the other syndicate was arrested on Wednesday.
“This syndicates specialised on printing fake documents, for stolen crude oil in the operation Delta Safe Joint Operation Area. The syndicates are responsible for procuring fake documents to provide free passage for oil thieves activities in the Joint Operation Area”.
“Such act has made it possible for oil thieves to evade arrest which have indeed contributed largely to the reported illegal oil bunkering operations in the oil producing region.
“However, acting on intelligence on the activities of the syndicates, troops of operation Delta Safe stormed the Port-Harcourt residence of the ring leader one Mr Magaji Musa, and Umar Musa, in the early hours of Tuesday august 20, 2024, and apprehended him”.
“Subsequently, documents were recovered from his house bearing fake stamps of some associations and waybills, forged identity card were recovered from his house.The suspects had confessed to procuring fake waybills, illegal sales of crude and diversion of stolen crude oil from pipelines”.
“Presently, the culprits are in the custody of the Joint Task Force, South South Operation Delta Safe and they will be paraded before the media and subsequently face prosecution in due course,” he said.
Okeke, made it clear that no stone will be left unturned untill criminality is eradicated or reduced to the barest minimum.
The commander reiterated the force’s commitment towards stamping out illegal oil refining and oil facility vandalism in the region.
On his part, one of the suspects Mr Magaji Musa, said he’s being in the illegal business since 2011.
