The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested six suspects for alleged criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and theft of tanker loaded with 40,000 litres of petrol valued at N6.2 million.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Muhammed Jalige, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Those arrested are Habibu Mohammed, Halilu Mohammed, Isa Mohammed, Isa Yusuf, Sutajo Lawal and Stephen Habila.
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According to the statement, a complaint was received on April 19, 2022 through the Area Commander Jere Area Office that one Bakura Bukar ‘M’ of Mararaban Jos, Kaduna on April 16 entrusted his truck with Reg.No BAM 02 XA loaded with 40,000 litres of PMS valued at N6,208,000 to his driver for delivery from Lagos to Kaduna.
“On the 18th April, 2022 at about 2300hrs at Issah U-turn along Abuja – Kaduna road, the driver had a flat tyre and had to pull off the road in order to replace the deflated tyre.
“Three unknown persons came in a sedan car and attacked him and his motor boy. They took and tied them in a nearby bush. The victims later struggled and freed themselves and returned to the road and discovered that the truck load of PMS had been taken away to an unknown destination, hence the report.
“With the strength of the report, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command ordered for a full scale investigation into the matter as detectives were immediately detailed and swung into action with a view to apprehending the culprits.
“The team acted on intelligence and succeeded in arresting three suspects namely; Habibu Mohammed, Halilu Mohammed and Isa Mohammed in connection with the offences.
“Further investigation revealed that two filling stations were used in disposing the stolen products. The operators of the said filling stations who are strong collaborators of the crime were equally apprehended namely; Isa Yusuf, Sutajo Lawal and Stephen Habila.
“The operatives pushed the process of investigation further and also recovered the operational vehicle of the criminals, one (1) Jack knife and the stolen fuel truck as well as the PMS product.”
Meanwhile, the suspects have since confessed to have been a syndicate who are notorious for such act and are currently assisting the process of investigation. They will all be charged to court on completion of same.
However a deliberate effort by the Command is geared towards apprehending all the remaining syndicate members as well as their collaborators if any in order to prevent future occurrence.
“The commissioner of Police CP Yekini A. Ayoku is calling on the petroleum tanker drivers association (PTD) to take advantage of the Command’s designated emergency contacts to report any breakdown of a tanker along the road so that a nearby Police formation will be contacted for security coverage through the period of repair.”
