JTF parades 14 Filipinos over alleged theft of crude oil

Sylvester Idowu, Warri - 18.07.2008

Filipinos arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Bayelsa State last week over
theft of crude oil, while being paraded on Thursday. Photo: Sylvester Idowu.
The Joint Task Force (JFF) on Thursday paraded 14 Filipinos who allegedly stole about 150 metric tonnes of crude oil. The suspects were said to have been arrested on July 10 while attempting to sail out with their loot. Parading the suspects in Warri, Delta State, Commander of JTF, Brigadier-General Wuyep Rimtip, said investigations had been concluded and that the suspects would soon be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further action.

But the captain of the ship, Mr. Rey P. Chavez, denied his crew members’ involvement in the stealing of the crude oil. He said his crew boat, which engaged in ship-to-ship operations, was from Cotonou, Benin Republic, and bound for Angola when they were attacked by armed youths.

“On July 10, at about 9.00 in the morning at somewhere close to the mouth of River Niger, two suspicious boats attacked us and the youth hauled themselves into the vessel with ropes and tried to stop the vessel.

“We were scared and they asked us to lie down and they locked us up in one room. After that, we did not know what happened because all of us were locked up in one room,” he said.