Rebecca Ejifoma
The operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) attached to the Operation AWATSE in Lagos on Wednesday uncovered a Lagos hotel where petro was siphoned from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline.
The operatives led by the AWATSE's Maritime Component Commanding Officer, Commander Chris Akokota, also arrested eight suspects, including a Police Inspector at the premises of Glonik Hotel situated at 31, Social Club Road, Abule Egba, Lagos.
The suspects arrested were Insp Lukeman Rabiu of the Lagos Police Command X-Squad Unit; the receptionist Gladys Daniel; the waitress Rachael Oludara, 22; housekeeper, Adegoke Adetunji, 20; tanker driver Waliu Teller, 41, Oluwaseun Oguntoyin, 20; Victor Vincent, 19 and Bobola Kuti 28.
It was gathered that three 33,000 litres tankers were loaded overnight, two left while the third one with registration number EPE367XE developed technical problems and was abandoned at an improvised loading bay beside the hotel.
At the time of visitation alongside some naval officers, there were two other empty tankers on the street while pieces of broken bottles, chattered windscreens, hose and fuel laden jerry cans were in the hotel. Also, clips used to grip hose on pumping machines were seen in room 209 which was said to have been occupied by another policeman who fled.
Now, the hotel is said to belong to one Bashorun – an Igbo man – who usually came to the place to meet with the manager, Osipo Chris and some of the vandals.
While speaking with journalists, Commander Akokota said the place was uncovered around 8a.m.
According to him, "At 8a.m. we got some information from Toplink Security personnel that some criminals were perpetrating illegal acts of siphoning petrol from an NNPC pipeline outside the hotel.
"Upon the information, we quickly deployed our men to the place and when we got here, we realised that most of the top management staff had escaped through the back gate.
"The junior staff and a policeman, who had stayed here in the past six months were arrested. We tried to investigate the situation and observed all," he said.
He said his team noticed smashed screens and broken bottles on the ground when they got to the scene, adding that there might have been a fight before their arrival.
He added: "We discovered that a fully loaded tanker, which still had the hose on it was parked beside the hotel. It seems the tanker developed fault. We learnt that two others had left and they were waiting for the third one to go so that others can be loaded.”
The told newsmen further that they also saw about 16 jerry cans filled with PMS with six empty ones and they were all embedded in the vehicles parked in the hotel.
However, Inspector Rabiu denied being a member of the gang, insisting that he only lodged at the hotel to meet up with his bi-weekly unit meetings. But he could not explain why he chose that hotel, which was obviously off his route and several kilometres away from his office.”
Rabiu also said he never noticed anything strange in the hotel and was not aware fuel theft. “I know nothing about it. It is not like I stay here permanently. I stay in Ogun State but in order to meet up with our meetings, I lodge here on the days we have meeting and I pay directly to the manager. I never noticed anything strange. I did not survey the environment. I have known this place for about five years and I just come here."
Another suspect, Oguntoyin, 20, claimed she was brought to the hotel by her boyfriend, Bayo, an Internet fraudster (Yahoo Boy) who alongside his friends, tied her up and fled.
She said it was the first time he would take her to the hotel, adding that she knew nothing about the crimes being perpetrated there. “It was the navy people that freed me from the bondage. Bayo and two of his friends tied me up. I didn't know when they tied me.”
The House Keeper, 20 years old Adegoke Adetunji from Oyo state – who said he earned 15,000 naira – explained that he had been working there for about six months. “I used to see those tankers. But two months ago, they were no longer there. But just recently, they came back.”
Giving the description of the owner of the hotel, Adegoke said, “Since I’ve been working here, I’ve only seen the owner once. He is called Bashorun. But he is an Igbo man. He is tall, huge, plumb, dark skin man.”
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