The Commissioner of Police, Eastern Ports Command, CP Jimoh Moshood on Thursday paraded 5 suspects for diverting 118 truckloads of Sugar belonging to BUA Company.
Parading the suspect, the CP said that on the 1st October 2024 at about 0350hrs acting on actionable intelligence, Police operatives attached to the Rivers Ports Police Division swooped on a location within Rivers Port where a truckload of sugar belonging to BUA Terminal was diverted and sugar being re-bagged into different bags.
The suspects are Nicholas Ibe, 49yrs Old Of 5 Community Rd Ibeto; Security Head; Ibrahim Musa ‘M’ 26yrs Old Gindiri Plateau State; Truck Driver; Austine Ameibe ‘’M’ 43 Yrs Old Upe Borikiri; aRecord Keeper; Prince Titus, 24 Years Old Of Upe Street, Borikiri nd Isaiah Okongwu, 22 Years Old Of Bana Street
“The four suspects were arrested in the act. A total of One Hundred and Eighteen bags of sugar were recovered from their possession. All the suspects have confessed to the crime and made useful statements helping the Police in further investigation into the matter.
“Meanwhile, efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects at large. The 118 bags of sugar have been released on bond to the BUA Group because they are perishable goods All suspects will be charged to court on completion of the investigation, Jimoh Moshood said.
In another development, Eastern Ports Command on 20/07/2024, vigilant police operatives of the Eastern Ports Police Command Marine Police Unit on patrol of the NPA water-ways intercepted and arrested one Dikio Okomba, member of a notorious vandal syndicate, near a Terminal in Port Harcourt.
This arrest was a result of the joint effort of the Marine Police and police personnel on foot patrol of the Terminal.
“The suspect was found with the following exhibits: one welding cylinder, one cutting torch with the hose, one cooking gas cylinder, and others. Other members of his syndicate who escaped through the sea are still at large and are being trailed.
The suspect, Dikio Okomba has already been charged to court and is currently remanded to Correctional custody, his prosecution is currently ongoing in court.
“On 2nd October 2024 at about 0154hrs eagle-eyed police operatives of the Command Marine Unit on patrol of the NPA Waterfront foiled an attempt by some vicious hoodlums to criminally vandalize Quay Aprons under NPA Berth 5.
“The suspects who had positioned themselves under the berth in five (5) wooden boats ready to commence the criminal activity were forced to abandon their wooden boat, and equipment and escaped through the sea on sighting the patrol team.
The unrelenting police operatives after an unsuccessful effort to apprehend the suspects recovered the abandoned boats and the equipment as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.
Exhibits recovered from then include Four Wooden Boats, One Filled Cylinder, One 2kg Cooking gas Cylinder, and one set of fire hoses
In another development, on 03/09/2024 at about 1130hrs, the Command Marine Police operatives on patrol along the NPA Dockyard, River-side, spotted a wooden boat moving suspiciously on a portion of the sea with three persons on board.
The suspects on sighting the approaching Marine Police Patrol boat abandoned their boat and its contents and escaped by jumping into the river.
Sequel to search conducted on the abandoned boat, the following exhibits were recovered One filled gas cylinder, one 5kg cooking gas, one jack, two saw blades, two matches, two hammers, one iron bar, two setting spanners, two chisels, cable wire, and two paddles
According to the CP, these recovered exhibits are tools used for vandalizing and stealing iron under the Quay Apron at the Ports Terminal. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.
On 21st of August 2024 , operatives of the Command Marine Police unit, were on a routine patrol along the Port Harcourt Dockyard NPA water-front and its surroundings when they spotted a moving wooden boat under the NPA Jetty with four individuals on board.
Upon sighting the Marine Police patrol team, the suspects abandoned their boat including its contents, and jumped into the water to avoid arrest.
The wooden boat was recovered along with the following equipment exhibits; one gas cylinder, one set of fire hose, one cramp and arch saw.
These exhibits are equipment used by the suspects for illegal activities along the quay apron of the terminals. Efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects are on-going.
On 29th September, 2024, operatives of the Command Marine Unit recovered a drifting wooden boat within berth five NPA Wharf Port Harcourt. Sequel to discreet investigation, it was discovered that the boat drifted from Abonnema Wharf Community. Effort is on to trace and investigate further why the boat was abandoned to enable the Police investigators to take further appropriate action on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Eastern Ports Police Command, CP Jimoh Moshood has assured all port users that the Command is dedicated to providing a safe environment for the NPA Management and staff, Ports facilities, Port Users and other critical stakeholders to carry out their day to day business and other activities peacefully.
He also extends his heartfelt appreciation to all the officers and men in the Command for their unwavering dedication, commitment, and diligence to duty. He urges the personnel to keep up the good work.
