Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
• IGP special taskforce intercepts 350,000 litres of adulterated diesel
By Press Release
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has urged the IGP special taskforce on petroleum and illegal bunkering to ‘renew offensive’ against persons who engage in illegal bunkering and crude oil refining.
IGP Baba said illegal bunkering operations are capable of sabotaging the economy of the country.
The IGP’s position was contained in a press release on Thursday 30th June, signed by the Force public relations officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The release announced that the IGP special taskforce on illegal bunkering and illegal oil refining has intercepted a barge containing 350,000 litres of diesel earlier in June around the slaughter area at trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The barge intercepted with adulterated diesel, near trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It says that preliminary testing of the product by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Port Harcourt showed that the product was adulterated and unsafe for use.
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“The IGP Task Force intercepted a seagoing 12-compartments barge known as “Rainbow-I” with Registration No. 8765432 laden with about three hundred and fifty thousand litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) reasonably suspected to be illegally refined, and the arrest of four suspects, by the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPIB) on 10th June, 2021 at Slaughter Area of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.”
“Preliminary investigations as well as analysis carried out on the samples by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority based in Port Harcourt, confirm that the product is adulterated, and therefore unfit for sale to the public.”
The IGP assured that the suspects will be charged to Court and charged the taskforce to be firm and steadfast in discharging their job.
