Operatives of the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) apprehended a tanker driver on Saturday for diverting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, which was intended for the NNPC mega station.
Osun State NSCDC Commandant Sotiyo Igbalawole reported that the driver, identified as Afeez Adegbola, 47, was arrested on Friday night in Ikirun. He was attempting to offload the product into the reserve tank of a local filling station.
According to Igbalawole, the driver had initially loaded the PMS for delivery to the NNPC mega station in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, but after offloading 30,000 of the 40,000 liters at the designated station, he diverted the remaining 10,000 liters to an independent station on the outskirts of the city.
“The tanker driver, Afeez Adegbola, and his assistants loaded 40,000 liters of PMS at Pinnacle Distribution Depot in Eleko, Lagos state, with the waybill indicating that the entire product was to be delivered to the NNPC Osogbo Mega station, Osun state,” he stated.
“Following a tip-off from the public, our team tracked the tanker and confirmed that only 30,000 liters had been delivered to the NNPC station. The driver was caught attempting to discharge the remaining 10,000 liters at TEMPOLA filling station in Ikirun, where he was arrested by NSCDC personnel.”
He continued, “The suspects confessed that the full 40,000 liters were meant for the NNPC Mega Station but revealed that their company directed them to deliver only 30,000, with the remaining 10,000 going to a private station in Ikirun.”
He added that the suspects’ actions contravene Section 1 (a & b) of the Petroleum Production and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, Cap P12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, punishable under Section 2 of the same Act.
The Commandant noted that the suspects would be charged in court following a thorough investigation. He urged petroleum distribution stakeholders nationwide to avoid acts of sabotage, warning that the Corps would not hesitate to act against any violators.
“NSCDC calls on NNPCL managers and supervisors nationwide to collaborate with us in ensuring that saboteurs are brought to justice,” he concluded.
