By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The commandant of kogi state command of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Peter Maigeri on Monday in Lokoja warned criminals of all shades and operations to stay off the state or meet their waterloo.
The commandant gave the warning on Monday during the handing over ceremony of 304( 50kg) polythene bags of crude oil, a wooden boat and two suspects arrested by the Nigeria Navy (NNS) Lugard lokoja .
Maigeri who commended the Navy for the arrest of the suspects ,who he described as economic saboteurs of the country , reminded that his command had in the last two months arrested no fewer than four articulated trailers laden with bags of unauthorised petroleum products.
He noted that the existing synergy between the security agencies in the state has made it impossible for criminals to succeed in their nefarious acts stressing that the upsurge in the arrest of high wired criminals its part of their determination to stamp out crimes and criminality through inter agency synergy.
“In my candid advise they should avoid kogi state. There would be no hiding place for them as we are ahead of their strategies. Whatever strategy they develop we will get them.” He warns.
He disclosed that the four trailers laden with the same illicit petroleum products some times ago have been forfeited to the federal government.
He added that the command has secured partial forfeiture order for the trailers while the products have been forfeited to the federal Government and called on the other sister agencies and individuals to assist with information that will lead to the arrest of criminals.
While handing over the suspects to the commandant, the commander of the Nigeria Navy ship Lugard Commodore Clement Atebi said the eagle eyes of his men on patrol at the maritime domain in the state arrested the two suspects with the large consignment of the illicit petroleum products.
He said with the directive from the Chief of Naval staff on zero tolerance for crimes on maritime environment, he advise predators to pack their luggage from the state or be ready to meet superior fire power.
He said the wooden boat laden with 304 polythene bags of black oil and crude oil were arrested along Itobe water ways.
While fielding questions from Journalists , the suspects Adamu Muhammed 25, from Idah LGA of kogi state and Prince Kelechikwu Emersim 20, from Anambra state said they were only contracted to off load the consignment at Lokoja.
Mohammed while narrating his ordeal amidst sobbing, said it was poverty and inability to pay for his WAEC fees that took him to port Harcourt where he met Kelechi , a wheel barrow pusher who later introduced him to the boat owner.
