The Joint Task Force, codenamed, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), said it has arrested two syndicates, Mr Magaji Musa and Umar Musa, who specialise in printing fake documents for illegal sales of stolen crude oil in the Niger Delta region.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Commander of The Joint Task Force, Rear Admiral John Okeke, while parading the suspects, at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, in Yenagoa.
The JTF Commander who spoke with journalists said the ring leader, Magaji Musa and Umar Musa, were arrested early morning on Tuesday when the troops cracked his Port Harcourt residence for facilitating illegal oil sales in the region.
He said “This syndicates specialised on printing fake documents, for stolen crude oil in the operation Delta Safe Joint Operation Area. These syndicates are responsible for procuring fake documents to provide free passage for oil thieves activities in the Joint Operation Area.
“Such act has made it possible for oil thieves to evade arrest which have contributed largely to the reported illegal oil bunkering operations in the oil producing region.
“However, acting on intelligence on the activities of the syndicates, troops of operation Delta Safe stormed the Port-Harcourt residence of the ring leader one Mr Magaji Musa and Umar Musa, in the early hours of Tuesday August 20, 2024, and apprehended him.
“Subsequently, documents were recovered from his house bearing fake stamps of some associations and waybills, forged identity cards were recovered from his house.
“The suspects had confessed to procuring fake waybills, illegal sales of crude, and diversion of stolen crude oil from pipelines.
“Presently, the culprits are in the custody of the Joint Task Force, South-South Operation Delta Safe and they will be paraded before the media and subsequently face prosecution in due course”.
Okeke, however, made it clear that no stone will be left unturned until criminality is eradicated or reduced to the barest minimum.
He also reiterated the force’s commitment to stamping out illegal oil refining and oil facility vandalism in the region.
However, Magaji Musa, the ring leader while being quizzed by reporters admitted to having been in the illegal business since 2011.
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Report Compiled by Okem Green
