The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will on Thursday, May 9, 2013
arraign 14 suspected oil thieves before a Federal High Court, sitting in
Maitama, Abuja on charges bordering on conspiracy and illegal oil bunkering.
The
suspects - Joseph Amaechi, Israel Friday, Ubadia Francis, Abayomi Adebisi,
Abdullahi Idris, Samuel Job, Onah Peter Ode, Sabo Tasha Hassan, Abdullahi
Moh’d, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ehiogu Paul, Ibrahim Saidu, Garba Mohammed and
Bartholomew Onyema - were arrested at a military checkpoint at Toto, Nasarawa
State by officers of the 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, while
attempting to transport 14 trailer loads of crude oil to the Northern states.
The officers became suspicious of the activities of the suspects when one of
them, Joseph Amaechi sought to bribe his way through the checkpoint by offering
to pay N20, 000 for each of the trucks. Upon the arrest of the suspects, they
were handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
Investigations
revealed that the suspects are members of a syndicate that specializes in
stealing of crude oil. The group led by Joseph Amaechi, operates with the
backing of one Dodo Chilla Bulus, an assistant superintendent of police, who
currently serves as Commander, Federal Task Force (Pipeline Vandalism), Abuja
sector, and some unscrupulous members of the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation’s maintenance team.
The
suspects are to be prosecuted on a 4-count charge.
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