The Abia Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested four persons suspected to be illegally dealing in petroleum products.

The State Commandant of the corps, Muhammad Sanyinna, disclosed this on Friday, while parading the suspects before journalists in Umuahia.

Mr Sanyinna said the arrest came on the heels of the command’s intensive operations toward ending pipeline vandalism and oil bunkering in the area.

He said that three of the suspects were arrested at Ubakala Junction on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.

According to him, they were conveying 33,000 litres of bitumen in a truck, with Reg. No. KWL984XB (Kaduna), when they were arrested.

The fourth suspect was also arrested at the same junction, while conveying 50,000 litres of Kerosene in a Mack truck, with Reg. No. KTU109XZ.

He said that the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, September 6 by the command’s operatives, following a tip off.

Mr Sanyinna said that the command also impounded a Toyota Camry car, with Reg. No. AH265PBR (Rivers), loaded with 800 litres of product, suspected to be adulterated diesel.

He said that the vehicle was intercepted at Owaza in Ukwa West Local Government Area after the driver abandoned it on sighting the corps operatives on a routine patrol.

He listed the names of the suspects as Adamu Mustapha (36), Isah Adamu (32), Anas Muhammed (22) and Chinedu Owen (44).

The suspects were said to have no operational licence to deal in petroleum products. Also, their trucks had no haulage permit, while the products had no receipts covering them.

Investigation into the matter was ongoing to also arrest the owners of the products, after which the suspects would be charged to court.

Two suspects, who spoke on behalf of others, said they were hired by the owners of the products to convey them to different destinations.

In an interview with reporters, Mr Owen said that the product was transloaded into his truck in Aba for onward movement to Ohafia.

He said that the owner, known as Oga Don, paid N30,000 (N20,000 for him and N10,000 for his conductor) to transport the kerosene to Ohafia.

Also, Mr Mohammed said they were conveying the bitumen from Port Harcourt to Kaduna before they were arrested.

They said that they had provided necessary information about the owners of the products to the command and urged it to go after them.

(NAN)