Five suspects have been arrested in Akwa Ibom State after troops of the 2 Brigade Garrison reportedly disrupted an alleged attempt to steal diesel from a fuel storage facility in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.
The arrests followed an operation at HITECH 1, located along the Uyo-Oron Road, where the suspects were allegedly attempting to siphon Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, from a fuel dump belonging to HITECH Company.
The incident was disclosed on Sunday night by security analyst Zagazola Makama in a post shared on X. According to the account, the troops carried out the operation at about 8:05 p.m. on September 4, leading to the arrest of the five suspects at the company facility.
During the operation, the troops reportedly recovered seven 25-litre jerrycans containing approximately 175 litres of diesel. The recovered containers and their contents were taken as exhibits following the arrests.
Makama said the recovered diesel was believed to have been part of the material the suspects were allegedly attempting to remove from the company’s fuel dump. The circumstances surrounding the suspected operation are expected to be established through further investigation by the relevant authorities.
Following the arrests, the suspects and recovered exhibits were initially handed over to the Chief Security Officer of HITECH Company. They were subsequently transferred to the Nigeria Police Division in Nsit Atai for further investigation and necessary action.
The transfer places the matter under police investigation as authorities work to establish what happened at the facility and determine the circumstances surrounding the suspects’ presence and alleged activities there.
The reported intervention by the 2 Brigade Garrison prevented the alleged diesel siphoning operation from proceeding, while the recovery of the seven jerrycans provided investigators with physical exhibits connected to the incident.
The arrests also underscore the security concerns surrounding fuel storage facilities and the movement of petroleum products, although the supplied report does not state whether the suspects had previously been linked to similar incidents or whether additional arrests were expected.
For now, the five suspects remain subject to investigation following their transfer to the police. The allegations against them have not been established in court, and the ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether they will face formal charges.
The incident occurred at HITECH 1 along the Uyo-Oron Road in Nsit Atai, where the alleged attempt was detected during the evening operation. The recovered quantity, according to Makama’s account, was about 175 litres of diesel stored in seven 25-litre jerrycans.
Police authorities are now responsible for taking the investigation forward after receiving the suspects and exhibits from the company following their initial handover. Further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation into the alleged diesel theft attempt.
Troops Arrest Five Over Alleged Diesel Theft Attempt in Akwa Ibom
