The recent threat to the Oil and gas industry in the country due to the continuous theft of crude oil has led to the staggering revelations about the cartels behind the oil bunkering activities around the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria.
Investigations revealed that Edo State is not left out of the oil theft saga.
Sources revealed that some illegal bunkers around Edo State capital are very much involved in these destructive criminal activities.
It was alleged that a woman by the name Itohan Evans aka. (Madam IT) was arrested on Friday 7th October 2022 alongside her conspirators by security operatives of the Edo State Police command.
The said woman, who is a kingpin, was released immediately by the State police Command after payment of a huge sum of money to a high-ranking senior police officer in the Command,.
The exchanged of money led to her release through granting of bail which fell short of the due process as stated by law.
Sources also alleged that the said Madam IT is part of a cartel of Crude Oil thieves that specialized in the vandalization of crude oil pipelines belonging to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) in Edo State.
Their base of operation is said to be around Kilometre 16/17 Benin Sapele road at Ogbekpen and Obayator axis of the Benin metropolis.
The manager of the said woman, one Mr. Chukwuka Sunday who was also apprehended alongside other suspects by security operatives of the Command, admitted to their illicit activities and the exhibits that were discovered on their site of operations include Five (5) Pumping Machines, Six (6) Trucks loaded with adulterated Diesel (AGO) and a fully loaded truck of Corrosive Acid Chemicals which is used to process the crude oil.
Chukwuka, confirmed that he works for the said Madam IT and the site of operations belong to his madam.
He also stated that after they finish processing the crude oil which is called phase two, they load their trucks with the processed products which is taken out for supply.
According to the sources, the activities of these crude oil thieves in Edo State has created an environmental disaster around their area of operations and may likely become worse if not check by the authorities.
It was also alleged that some security agents in the state conspired with these criminals to sabotage the commonwealth of every Nigerian citizen.
In a telephone interview with an online News platform, The9JaTREND, the Edo State Police Command, Public Relations Officer (PRO) SP Chidi Nwabuzor said his office is not aware of the arrest of any Mrs. Itohan Evans.
According to SP Chidi Nwabuzor, “I am not aware about that. I don’t have knowledge about any arrest of Mrs. Itohan Evans. I can’t speak of what I don’t know and that is not healthy of given information to the public.”
