My Mother Introduced Me To Illegal Oil Bunkering – 19-Year-Old Arrested Suspect

A suspected oil thief, Chemede Anre, has confessed to his involvement in illegal oil bunkering, saying it was his mother who introduced him to the crime.

The 19-year-old, who is also a fisherman, was paraded on Wednesday along with five others – Ibrahim Kwenu, 23; Savig Videjon, 20; Celestine Soru, 20; Simon Posu, 22, and 21-year-old Lekan Wesu – at the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Ikeja.

Anre, who is just 19, confessed that his mum took him to one Savie, the mastermind of the crime, when he could no longer cater to his wife and child.

He added that he was compelled to join Savie because he was not catching enough fish due to drought.

According to Punch, the suspects were apprehended on Friday around the Topo, Badagry area of Lagos, by the anti-vandal squad of the corps.

They were said to be ferrying 86 drums of petrol, suspected to have been siphoned from vandalised pipelines of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, to Benin Republic, when they were intercepted on the sea.

Each of the drums reportedly contained 250 litres of the product.

Speaking with Punch, Anre, who was the boat captain, said he regretted heeding his mother’s advice, and that Savie, who was at large, had promised to pay him and members of his crew N4,000 each.

The other suspects equally blamed drought for their involvement in the act.

The NSCDC Commandant in Lagos State, Tajudeen Balogun, said his men swooped on the suspects after an intelligence report. They are making efforts to arrest the kingpin before going to court.