Operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) attached to the Operation Awatse on Wednesday
uncovered a Lagos hotel where fuel is siphoned from the pipeline of Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The operatives also arrested eight suspects including a
Police Inspector at the premises of Glonik Hotel at 31, Social Club Road, Abule
Egba.
Those arrested were Inspector Lukeman Rabiu of the Lagos
Police Command X-Squad Unit, receptionist Gladys Daniel, waitress Rachael
Oludara, housekeeper, Adegoke Adetunji, tanker driver, Waliu Teller, Oluwaseun
Oguntoyin, Victor Vincent, 19 and Bobola Kuti, 28.
Inspector Rabiu allegedly had N1.4 million, a laptop and
other valuables in his car
It was gathered that three 33,000-litre tankers were loaded
overnight with two left. The third one, with registeration number EPE367XE was
said to have developed technical problems and was abandoned at an
improvised loading bay beside the hotel.
According to AWATSE’s Maritime Component Commanding Officer,
Commander Chris Akokota, the place was uncovered about 8am.
He said: "At 8am this morning (Wednesday), we got some
information from Toplink Security personnel that some criminals perpetrating
illegal acts of siphoning PMS products through an NNPC pipeline outside the
hotel.
"Upon the information, we quickly deployed our men and
when we got here, we realised that most of the top management staff had escaped
through the back gate.
"The junior staff and a policeman, who had stayed here in
the past six months, were arrested. We tried to investigate the situation and
observed all. When we got here, we noticed the smashed screens and broken
bottles. Apparently, there might have been a fight before our arrival.
"We discovered that a fully loaded tanker, which still had
the hose on it was parked beside the hotel. It seems the tanker developed
fault. We learnt that two others had left and they were waiting for the third
one to go so that others can be loaded.
"We also saw about 16 jerry cans filled with PMS with six
empty ones and they were all embedded in the vehicles parked in the hotel."
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