Operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the early hours of Sunday recovered petroleum products suspected to be diesel, worth about N350 million, from illegal oil bunkerers in Warri, Delta State.
Acting on a tip-off, the combined team of soldiers and policemen, led by one Lieutenant Abdullahi Usman, stormed the Miller waterside, Warri, Warri South Local Government Area and arrested 11 suspects, including two women, in connection with the act.
About 2,000 drums and three 20,000 litres tankers filled with the product were recovered from the place along with two Cotonou boats and 16 pumping machines.
Security sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the commander of the JTF, Brigadier-General Wuyep Rimtip, received information about the discharge of suspected petroleum products at the area and dispatched Lt. Usman team to the area after an initial surveillance.
It was gathered that one of the boats had been successfully discharged and the suspects were in the process of offloading the second when the security agents invaded the area.
Usman gave the names of the suspects as Ann Bekenawei, 41; Elias Osiyas, 26; Tarede Ebiarede 27; Mathew Egberike, 18; Agbamu Ejiaita, 20 and Helen Aromola, 40.
Others were Diris Ekotoro, 28; Jimmy Igangan, 28; Famous Sikiwei, who is deaf and dumb; Godbless Omoloye, 25 and Gift Utienyin, 18.
He said the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for prosecution after the initial investigations by the JTF.