OGBONNA IWUAGWU
Military personnel from 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Imo State, have intercepted, and arrested a 32-year old man, Obinna Ukah, at Umuapu in Ohaji/Egbema council area of the state and handed him over to undercover operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for further investigation and necessary actions.
The suspect, who hails from Orodo in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state, was arrested while on his way from his community with over nine drums of 250 litres of bunkered Automated Gas Oil popularly called diesel to his place of sale.
P.M.EXPRESS correspondent gathered that Obinna was arrested with the fake petroleum products alongside his means of conveyance, a Ford bus with registration number LAGOS, AKD-45-XS.
Parading the suspect before newsmen on Thursday, Raji Ibrahim the Imo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), explained that unlawful dealing of petroleum products, sales and distribution without license and adulteration of petroleum product contradicted Section 17 (a) and 18 (b) of Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Ibrahim disclosed that the suspect used spare tyres and wooden planks to conceal the bunkered consignment in his bid to deceive the security operatives at the check points.
“Ubah met his waterloo when the intelligent and dogged army operatives caught him during the stop and search exercise and discovered that the bus was loaded with over 250 litres of fake AGO”.
“He offered them gratification of about N5,000 and the soldiers refused before they arrested him along with his means of conveyance and called the Civil Defence Command in the state for further investigation and necessary action due to the synergy existing between the security agencies in state”.
Ibrahim however, warned those involved in illegal and bunkering business to desist from it, adding that there was no resting place for them in Imo.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Uba said that he bought the fake products at Port Harcourt adding that the day of his arrest (November 7, 2019) was the first day of his involvement in the illicit business.
He said, “Since I bought the goods with my money, little did I know that I was doing an illegal business until I was caught and told. There is one village in Port Harcourt called Iwofe, where you stay and wait for payment for those, who convey consignment with canoe or boat. It was just like a free market where what quantity you bought determined the amount you had in your pocket. I don’t know from where they bring it from. We stay there and pay as soon as the goods arrive”.
He said that there were those whose duty was to stack the diesel in cellophane bags adding that the good were safely carried to their destination for sale as they “roger” the security operatives on the road.
“The quantity you have in your vehicle determines how much you can “roger” them out with. These are security men, we give N2,000, some others N3,000 and N5,000 as the case may be. We don’t have any problem while on the way. I met my waterloo when the army that arrested me and refused to take “roger” from me”, he added.