Fifteen suspects arrested by men of the Nigerian Army and Navy for conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products are in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Six of the suspects are handed over to the EFCC by the Commanding Officer, NNS Pathfinder, Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and they are: Elu’u Lawrence, Daniel Luke, Emmanuel Etim Akpan, Endurance Eleyi, Gift Sunday Udo and Raphael Godspower. They were arrested along Cawthorne Channel, Rivers State on board the Tug Boat “MV CHIJIOKE” by men of the Nigerian Navy. One of the suspects: Raphael Godspower was alleged to have bunkered 30,000 litres of petroleum product without any documentation at the time of arrest.
The other nine suspects were handed over to the EFCC by men of the Nigerian Army in Benin-City, Edo State. They are: Sunday Emmanuel; Mike Joseph , Titus Okoebor , John Osagie , Iluobe Uzama , Destiny Ailaumah, Peter Adogun, Monday Ojemokhai and Nelson Airhuboyi . They were arrested at Upper Sakponba Road by Ekpe River, Rivers State. Five tankers filled with products suspected to be petroleum products were confiscated from the suspects.
Investigations showed that the tug boat which some of the suspects used for the operation was rented out to them by Winsco Services Limited. Both the Director of the company, Mr. Kingsley Chinedu Ozigbo and the Manager, Mr. Ozigbo Uzoamaka have been invited by the EFCC for questioning. The matter is still being investigated by the EFCC.
