Nine Oil Thieves Arrested in DSS, Navy Joint Operation Bag 10-year Jail Term Without Option of Fine
The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has convicted and sentenced nine out of 19 persons arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for crude oil theft in Akwa
Nine out of 19 individuals accused of crude oil theft in Akwa Ibom State have been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court in Uyo, according to prosecutors. Judge Joy Ikpeme found the accused guilty of conspiracy and tampering with an oil pipeline, in violation of Section 1(7) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act. They were sentenced to five years imprisonment for the first count and ten years for the second count, with no option for fines.
Both sentences will run concurrently. The convicts, along with 10 other suspects, were apprehended during a joint operation by the Nigerian Navy and the Department of State Services (DSS). The suspects were caught stealing crude oil from an ASABO-D oil well head in Ibeno Local Government Area. This conviction is seen as another victory in the Navy's ongoing fight against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities along Nigeria's maritime and riverine areas.
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