The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force yesterday said it uncovered several oil bunkers and destroyed over two million litres of the mixed diesel found there at the Coker area of Orile, Lagos. It was gathered that operation was carried out based on series of petitions submitted to the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, who directed his second-in-command, Wilson Alaba, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, to lead the operations. Petitions from members of the public to the Lagos State Task Force detailed that due to the high increase in the cost of a litre of diesel, some people were buying tankers of diesel oil and mixing it with kerosene around Orile.
Upon raiding the said bunkers, 25 containers with 5,000 litre of mixed diesel oil each and more 4,500 kegs of mixed oil were found and destroyed by the agency. According to the eyewitness reports of the residents, the bunkers have been operating around the area for over seven years without any interference. A tricycle operator around the area, Mr. Salami Ogunsanya, who also spoke said those engaged in the illegal business have been buying original 33000 litre of diesel everyday and mixing it with kerosene to double the tanker capacity (66,000 littes). He said he closes from work as early as 7p.m on daily basis because once it’s night, the miscreants and hoodlums who engage in the illegal business , also rob innocent members of the public of their valuables.
Ogunsanya and other residents around the area expressed commended the Lagos State Task Force and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, for their prompt intervention. Confirming the incident, the Head of Public Affairs Unit of the taskforce, Adebayo Taofiq, also said the operatives of the taskforce during the third quarter of the year impounded 3480 motorcycles plying restricted routes across the State. He said they also arrested 5,890 miscreants and hoodlums, out of which 1,500 were screened out and 4,390 prosecuted.
