THE Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has apprehended three Cameroonians and a Nigerian with 66 drums containing 250 litres of product suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit, each. The suspects are Kokah Ekema, 38; Money Francis, 27; Nako Otto, 25, and a Nigerian, Who-Knows Nya, 30.
The Commanding Officer of the base, Navy Captain Siyanbade Adedokun, who paraded the suspects before journalists yesterday in Ibaka, said one Cotonou wooden boat equipped with two 40 horsepower engines, was also recovered from the suspects.
Adedokun stated that all the suspects would be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
He said: “We have arrested three Cameroonians and one Nigerian with 66 drums of 250 litres of product suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit.
“All the suspects will be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. The more we patrol, the more we make the maritime environment safe for legitimate business to thrive. “ At the same time, we try to patrol on our waterways, basically because of the strategic nature of the base, just very close to international water.
“It is a very strategic place to police, so that we won’t have people from neighbouring countries coming to penetrate the country.”
Adedokun, who frowned at the sabotaging manner exhibited by the oil thieves to the economy of the country, added that the Navy’s standard strategy would not allow them any breathing space.
He, however, attributed the success to frequent patrols of the nation’s waterways and creeks.
