Afeez Adegbola, a truck driver for Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, was detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun Command, on suspicion of stealing 10,000 gallons of company-owned gasoline.

When the culprit and his two motor boys were paraded in Osogbo on Saturday, state commandant Mr. Igbalawole Sotiyo revealed this information.

According to Sotiyo, the suspects were taken into custody by the NNPCL truck on Friday at around 8:21 p.m.

The suspect loaded 40,000 litres of gasoline at the Pinnacle Distribution Depot in Eleko, Lagos State, according to the commandant.

The goods was supposed to be transported to the NNPCL Mega station in Osogbo, according to the waybill, he stated.

According to Sotiyo, after receiving a tip, command officers followed the vehicle bearing the license plate AGG 959 XA and found that the NNPCL filling station had only received 30,000 gallons of petroleum.

He said that while releasing the last 10,000 gallons at the TEMPOLA filling station in Ikirun, in the state’s Ifelodun Local Government area, the driver was taken into custody.

According to the corps commandant, the suspects confessed that the whole 40,000-liter shipment was intended for the NNPCL mega station in Osogbo, but his employer had instructed him to transport only 30,000 of it, with the remaining 10,000 to be sent to a private filling station in Ikirun.

Sotiyo characterised the action as theft and economic sabotage.

It is theft and sabotage committed against the government. They are anti-state and saboteurs.

“NSCDC is using this platform to alert all parties involved in the distribution of petroleum products across the country that anyone found to be interfering with government operations will be caught and face legal action.”

“NSCDC uses this medium to request that NNPCL Managers/Supervisors across the country collaborate with the NSCDC to effectively prosecute saboteurs,” he stated.

“I want to inform the good people of Osun State that there is a new Sheriff in town,” stated Sotiyo, who took over as the state’s new commandant.

“Business as usual is no longer the case. Therefore, everyone in the state who has a criminal mindset needs to alter their mentality or be willing to accept the repercussions of their behaviour.

“I promise that the accused will face charges in court once our investigations are complete.