No fewer than ten suspected oil thieves have been arrested by the operatives of Lagos Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Parading the suspects, NSCDC Commandant, Lagos Command, Mr Paul Ayeni, said the suspects were caught with 60, 000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil(AGO) suspected to have been illegally mined.

Ayeni said the arrest attributed the arrest which took place on January 23 to the collaboration between NSCDC and Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS).

He said:

”The names of the suspects are Okriko Ebi, (45); Monday Otuagomah,(44); Olumide Ikuyiminy(53); Binabi Males(40) and Pius Ayeni(45).

“Others are Moses Ajimisan(33); Maurice Blessing(30); Barry Omoseye(49); Idowu Ekundayo(37) and Wisdom Blessing(30),” he said.

The NSCDC boss said the suspects were intercepted in a wooden boat in the Badagary area of Lagos state.

” The boat which had 10 crewmen, was intercepted at 2 a .m on the day. The suspects couldn’t present any official license to mine,” he added.