Police Arrest Suspected Oil Thief In Enugu

A suspected petroleum pipeline vandal has been arrested by the police inside a bush at Umurah Ndeabor in Aninri local government area of Enugu State.

The suspect was identified as Okechukwu Okeke from Umuhu in Awgu local government area of
Enugu and an owner of a truck used in siphoning petroleum products from pipelines in the area.

It was gathered that the suspect was nabbed by men of the Aninri Division of the Enugu State Police Command on December 30, at about midnight inside the bush.

Items found on him were two pipeline drilling equipment, two pumping machines, pipeline sealants, generator, some spanners and a leyland 13,800 litres truck with registration number XF 312 PHC.

Our sources in the area disclosed that the suspects and others, now at large, had already tampered with the pipeline and were siphoning petroleum products from it into the waiting truck kept at a very long distance out of the vandalized area before the eagle eyed operatives already acting on a tip closed them up.It was further gathered that the hoodlums who had sensed that danger was knocking against them, took to their heels that midnight but the operatives had to recover their half filled truck with AGO otherwise known as diesel as well as their implements and followed up search which led to the arrest of Okechukwu Okeke.Enugu State Police Spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed the arrest of the vandal, who confessed under interrogation that he is from Umuhu Awgu in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu state and 28 years of age, but lives in Alese Eleme by Port Harcourt Refinery Road Rivers State.“He stated further that he is the owner of the truck which he used to drive at times but claimed that he also have a driver and that it was one Ejike whom he does not know where he came from and where he lives that drove the car.

“He further disclosed that for a period of one month that he has never seen Ejike with his truck from where they used to park at Refinery Park but confirmed that he has not reported any case of his missing driver and truck to the police.

“Meanwhile a full scale investigations have commenced by the operatives of the Anti Vandalization Unit of the State criminal intelligence and Investigations Department of the Enugu state police command with a view to unmasking those behind the illicit incident as suspect Okeke is now helping the operatives in their investigations”Amaraizu said.

Credit: Daily Independent

It was gathered that suspect alongside with others now at large had allegedly stormed Umurah Ndeaboh bush on 24/12/15 at about 12 midnight in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu state where petroleum pipeline is said to have passed with their