CRIME: Navy Hands Over Four Suspected Oil Thieves, Boat Snatchers To Lagos Police
… security architecture is built on synergy …..CP. OWOHUNWA
By The Torchlight Africa News
THE headquarters of Lagos State Police Command yesterday, played host to the Nigerian Navy which handed over four suspected oil thieves and boat snatchers to the former.
The Nigerian Navy arrested the suspects who claimed to be members of Tantita Security Service were arrested on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 and handed them over to the Police yesterday, during the press brief
They were; Owoyele Joseph Omotuyi, Obajimi Oluwaseyifunmi, Balogun Oluwadaisi, Asonja Godday and Awolowo Aribo were arrested on August 29, 2023.
Exhibits recovered from the suspects include a 300-horsepower boat engine and eleven 1000 litres tanks with petroleum products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
Speaking at the event, the Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship BEECROFT, Apapa, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, said the four were apprehended in Tolu Community, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
According to him, “We received a distress call from the community that sporadic gunshots were heard. So, men from the operating base in Lekki, on getting to the waterfront, met the men dressed in black polo T-shirts with Tantita written at the back.
“They were trying to forcefully collect a 300-horsepower outboard engine from a local. Our men apprehended them and retrieved the engine.”
Thereafter, our men realised that the arrested men were part of a group escorting two wooden boats.
“Our men beckoned on them to come over but they took off, but our men approached the boats only to discover eleven 1000 litres tanks with petroleum products suspected to be stolen crude oil onboard the wooden boats.
“The handover of the suspects and the exhibits to the Nigeria Police is to unravel the circumstances and the escaped men in the other boat that are at large.
“Also, this handover re-enforces the synergy between the security agencies that we will continue to work together and leave no gap for any person or group to have their way to carry out nefarious activities in the state.
