Police Arrest Two Alleged Hijackers of Tanker, Recover Petrol

Police Arrest Two Alleged Hijackers of Tanker, Recover Petrol

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Itire Division of Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspected serial petroleum tanker hijackers after they made away with their loot of 40,000 litres of PMS.

Acting on intelligence report, the police operatives from Itire Division led by the Divisional Police Officer, SP Barkfur Kromkyes, intercepted the DAF 85 tanker with registration number: GA 743 XN along Iyana Itire pin down point in Mile 2.

This was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, explaining that the truck driver, one Muhammadu Mande, and conductor, Lawali Usman, were rescued unhurt, while the suspects, Charles Obllomo, and Osita Onyeka, were arrested.

Elkana, in a statement, said the truck driver disclosed that he had loaded his truck with 40,000 litres of PMS at Swift Depot in Apapa and was billed to transport it to Kontagora in Niger State.

He said on getting to a bad portion of the road at Mile 2, four men in military uniform stopped him and asked what products he was carrying.

According to him, upon identifying the product, they ordered him and his conductor out of the truck into a red Toyota Corolla before the two suspects took possession of the truck.

He said they were sandwiched by the four men in military uniform in the Toyota Corolla while the truck was driving behind the car and was heading to an unknown destination before it was intercepted by the police.

According to the driver, he initially thought the hijackers were military men on stop and search duty until they started beating him and his conductor and threatened to kill them if they refuse to follow their orders.

Elkana said while the two suspects were arrested in the truck and taken to the station, the four suspects in military uniforms escaped with bullet wounds after a fierce battle with the police.

He said: “The truck and the Toyota Corolla were recovered and moved to the police station. Two pairs of vehicle plate numbers and military caps were recovered in the Corolla.

“The truck containing the PMS was handed over to the owner, Sani Samaila, the Manager, Petroleum Nigeria Limited in Kontagora, Niger State and he was full of gratitude to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Hakeem Odumosu, for coming to their rescue.

“He revealed that truck owners have suffered a lot of losses from the activities of those truck hijackers in the past without remedy but since the arrival of the new Police Commissioner and the deployment of police officers on vehicles and motorcycle patrols, such ugly incidents have reduced.

“That the syndicate usually hijack trucks, offload the content in locations, mostly outside Lagos State and abandon the truck for the owners to find after some days or weeks.”

Elkana added that Odumosu has directed the Commander, Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) to take over the investigation and ensure that the fleeing suspects are arrested.

He also said while investigation is ongoing, the two suspects would be charged to court.

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