Alleged Oil Theft: JTF Arrests 76 Suspects, Seizes Ship

The Joint Task Force on security in the Niger Delta on Sunday arrested 76 suspects and seized a marine vessel and barge used for bunkering.
The Spokesman of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement issued in Yenagoa that the arrest and seizures were made between April 15 and April 27.
He said that the Vessel, MT Shandy with 12 crew members was intercepted on Otokomabie Creek near Oloma Community in Rivers.

The Joint Task Force on security in the Niger Delta on Sunday arrested 76 suspects and seized a marine vessel and barge used for bunkering.
The Spokesman of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement issued in Yenagoa that the arrest and seizures were made between April 15 and April 27.
He said that the Vessel, MT Shandy with 12 crew members was intercepted on Otokomabie Creek near Oloma Community in Rivers.
Nwachukwu explained that eight of the 12 crew members arrested were currently being interrogated in Port Harcourt while the four crew members were left behind to man the vessel in Bonny Island.
He said that the JTF had also impounded a barge found at an illegal oil loading point close to Burma Rice Farm between Brass and Obiama waterways in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The spokesman explained that the barge was arrested with 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil which had been towed to a terminal for investigation.
Nwachukwu said the task force also intercepted and destroyed 61 boats, conveying suspected stolen petroleum products in some parts of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta.