Military destroys 500 drums of adulterated diesel, two cars

The Nigerian Army has destroyed two cars and over 500 drums of adulterated diesel seized from smugglers along the JEBS community in the Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Addressing newsmen during the exercise near Jonathan Bypass on Friday, the Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Sector 4, Col. B. O. Amakor, said, “We seized over 500 drums of diesel which is worth millions of naira and they are being destroyed alongside two vehicles which were used to perpetrate the act.

“Some suspects were arrested and after our preliminary investigations some of the people, who were being used as labourers to offload the products, were apprehended and we have handed them over to the relevant agencies for prosecution. Some of them were released because they were not found wanting.”

Amakor explained that the product was smuggled into the state from neighbouring states.

He stated that upon sighting the army, the smugglers abandoned the drums of diesel alongside two cars, adding that some locals, who were hired to offload the product, were arrested.

He said, “We could not ascertain the location they were coming from because the owners of this product abandoned it and fled when our troops came, but we arrested those offloading it in Calabar South. They passed through the creeks and entered the state through Calabar South, JEBS Area, precisely.”

The commander added that Operation Delta Safe was doing its best to ensure the dominance of the area, particularly the waterways, through frequent patrols.

Amakor said, “In the past two weeks, we have arrested over 10 kidnappers and have handed them over to the relevant agencies, including the DSS for further investigation.

“We raided their camps and some of them were killed in the process and some got away with gunshot wounds. We are still on their trail and we are assuring members of the public that they will not find a resting place in Cross River State.”