6 Ghanaians, 1 Nigerian in EFCC Net Over N330 million Oil Theft

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has begun investigation into the theft of 4000 metric tonnes of petroleum product with an estimated market price of over N330 million by six Ghanaians and a Nigerian in Delta state.

This is coming barely eight weeks after the Commission arraigned 14 Fillipinos before a federal high court in Benin, Edo state for oil bunkering.

The suspects who are being interrogated by EFCC operatives in the Commission’s Port-Harcourt zonal office include Ernest Anim (35), Wellington Adobah (51), Kwesi Eminsang (48), Abraham Yao Adobah (50), Seth Kpodzine (49), Frank Opoku Anim (42), all Ghanaians and their Nigerian accomplice, Ochuko Omere (29).

The six suspects who are being investigated for conspiracy and oil bunkering were handed over to the EFCC on January 22, 2009 by the Joint Task Force(JTF) codenamed Operation Restore Hope, based in Effurun barracks Delta state.

Investigations revealed that the suspects were nabbed along Charomi creek by the JTF men on December 29,2008 at about 3:15am with a vessel that bore conflicting names- SANDRA VELETA, MT ATIMA and MT HOPE. The vessel was loaded with 4000 metric tonnes of petroleum product suspected to be crude oil.

Meanwhile, the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida waziri has directed that the suspects be charged to court following a preliminary report on the investigation.

The EFCC operatives have already visited the scene of crime and sample of the product already taken for laboratory analysis.