By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has warned the Police force against corruption as operatives arrested four criminal suspects and seized oil-laden barge in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
The IGP gave the warning while commending the IGP Task Force on the interception of a sea-going 12-compartments barge known as “Rainbow-I” with Reg. No. 8765432 laden with about 350, 000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) reasonably suspected to be illegally refined.
This was contained in a statement signed by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer and made available to Stonix News on Thursday, June 30, 2022.
IGP Alkali Baba stated that there would be serious sanctions for criminals who engage in illegal refining of oil products.
He urged members of the police force set up to monitor, investigate and arrest criminal suspects to “shun corruption so that offenders will face the full wrath of the law.”
The statement reads, “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, has warned that there would be severe sanctions for criminal elements who engage in activities such as illegal bunkering and illegal refining of oil products, which is capable of sabotaging the economy of the country.
“The IGP equally charged members of special teams set up to monitor, investigate, apprehend, and prosecute purveyors of these crimes to renew their offensive against crimes and criminality, and professionally shun all manner of corruption so that offenders would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The IGP stated this while commending the IGP Task Force on the interception of a seagoing 12-compartments barge known as “Rainbow-I” with Registration No. 8765432 laden with about three hundred and fifty thousand litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) reasonably suspected to be illegally refined, and the arrest of four suspects, by the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB) on 10th June, 2021 at Slaughter Area of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.
“Preliminary investigations as well as analysis carried out on the samples by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority based in Port Harcourt, confirm that the product is adulterated, and therefore unfit for sale to the public.
“The Inspector-General of Police therefore warns all economic saboteurs to cease forthwith their criminal activities else the long arm of the law will catch up with them.”
The IGP also tasked personnel of the IGP-STFPIB to be steadfast in discharging their responsibilities as he concluded that the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
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