The Nigerian Navy has apprehended nine suspected oil thieves and one kidnapper even as two large wooden boats laden with 39×5,000ltrs GP tanks containing products suspected to be illegally refined petroleum products have been seized.
Other items recovered from the suspects included a speed boat with 200 horse power engine and 13 pumping machines which they allegedly used in uploading the product into large vessels in the high sea, according to the Navy.
The speed boat was said to be used by the suspects not only to escape arrest, but also for surveillance when ferrying the two wooden boats, popularly known as Cotonou boat to the high sea.
Commander, NNS DELTA, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, who paraded the suspected hoodlums in Warri, said that the suspects were nabbed at Forcados terminal in Burutu Council of Delta State as they were transporting the over 150,000ltrs of locally refined diesel to the high sea for the ship that was already waiting to discharge the product.
The suspects who spoke to newsmen confessed to the crimes.
For the kidnap suspect, Tombra Obaila, a member of a five-man kidnap gang, he was apprehended on April 27 at Ndoro Camp in Ekeremor Council of Bayelsa State.
The Navy chief said that the gang members on sighting the naval patrol team opened fire, which resulted in the arrest of Obaila while four of the suspects escaped into the creeks, albeit with bullet wounds.
Items recovered from the gang, according to him, included one FN rifle with 57 rounds of live ammunition, one loaclly-made gun, two AK empty magazine, 16 mobile phones, two face masks, three speed boats fuel line, one 140hp and one 90hp speed boat engines, were items recovered from the suspect and his fleeing gang.
He reiterated the restriction on the use of 200hp engine boats and above on Delta waterways and that the restriction was aimed at checkmating the nefarious activities of sea pirates even as he called on owners of speed boats which were detained few weeks ago to come for them by identifying themselves.
Besides, he urged members of the public to give useful information to the Navy to enable it combat crime in the oil-rich Niger Delta as security issue was a collective responsibility.