Three men have been arrested in Rivers State with 100,000 litres of illegally refined diesel costing a total of N20.4 million, the Nigerian Navy said in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Cdr. Ugochukwu Ajulu, who heads the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder’s Base Operations, told journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital that the that three suspects were on board one of the wooden boats.
According to Ajulu, the boats were seized at Akuku-Toru Local Government Area during routine patrol of waterways and creeks in the state.
He said: "in line with strategic directives from naval authorities, on March 31, our troops on routine patrol impounded two wooden boats carrying suspected illegally refined diesel of about 100,000 litres.
"The first boat transporting about 60 drums fully loaded with suspected stolen diesel was impounded along Bakana waterways with three suspects on board.
"The second boat, which had over 100 drums laden with illegally refined diesel, was seized while it anchored at Aiteo jetty near Abonema.
"About 5,000 litres of diesel was also stored in a compartment on the boat."
However, suspects in the second boat escaped before they could be caught. They fled the scene upon sighting the naval patrol gunboats.
While noting that the source of their supply was still being investigated, he added that the suspects would soon be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for arraignment.
One of the suspects, 33-year old Timothy Williamson, confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency while he spoke with journalists.
He confessed that he became an illegal oil bunkerer in January after he was recruited by a woman whose name she gave as 'Mama'.
She said it was this 'Mama' that distributes the refined products to other states and companies.
He said 'Mama' "usually cook the product at our operating base in Snake creek in Rivers state. We supply the product to our madam in the city who in turn supplies the product to Peace Oil located at Elechi Beach Area of Port Harcourt.
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